The Signs That Point to Forever
by nebula2
Summary: Amber Rossi and Spencer Reid are together again but before they can truly start their lives together there are more obstacles that the couple must get past. Set after "Cause You're All I Need"
1. Going to Colorado

AN: Just want to put this warning out there at the beginning of this story. Later chapters will contain mention of child rape though I do not go into details on it, but more concentrate on the feelings and emotions as a consequence of it. If that subject is going to bother you then I suggest you don't start reading the story.

This story is the third in the Amber/Reid saga, following "Careless Man's Careful Daughter" and "Cause You're All I Need". Title is taken from Diamond Rio's "Finish What We Started"

* * *

><p><em><strong>August 2008, en route to Colorado, before "Minimal Loss":<strong>_

SSA Spencer Reid looked at the chess board before him contemplating the moves open to him. Though he was currently winning the game, his opponent was close to turning the control of the game to their favor. Since Gideon had left, it wasn't a position he was used to being in. Prentiss was a good player but on any given day he should easily be able to beat her. Today though, his mind just wasn't on the game.

Reid picked up his rook and moved it toward the middle of the board, poising it to take one of her knights. As he let go of the piece he realized that by doing so he had left his queen open to attack from one of her bishops. Silently regretting the move, Reid tried to keep his face passive with the hope that Prentiss would not realize his mistake. It wasn't to be, as she moved the bishop to take his queen, thus sacrificing her bishop.

"Everything okay, Reid?" Prentiss asked, as she placed his white queen on the table next to the chess board.

"Yeah, fine. Why?" Reid asked, taking out the knight he had set himself up to take. Even with the loss of the queen it was his best move.

"You just don't seem to be concentrating on the game," Prentiss commented as she surveyed the board trying to decide on her next move.

Reid shrugged his shoulders. She was right but he wasn't ready to admit that out loud. He had other things on his mind other than the chess game.

"Thinking about the situation at the ranch?" Prentiss asked, referring to the case they were heading to, as she moved her knight to a new position, unknowingly leaving an opening for Reid to put her King in check.

"In a way, I guess," Reid replied, as he moved his bishop to a new square. "Check," he told her, to which Prentiss sighed realizing her mistake. "Guess I was just thinking about how religion seems to complicate a lot of things."

Prentiss took her eyes off the chess board and looked across the table at her fellow agent, trying to figure out what he meant by that comment. Though Reid could quote the Bible word for word, Prentiss had always felt that he looked at it and religion in general from an academic vantage point. It didn't surprise her any, given his intelligence and the three subjects he had chosen for his doctorates. Reid had an analytical mind and a true religious belief had very little to do with facts and figures with which he was comfortable.

"What do you mean?" Prentiss asked.

Reid looked up to see Prentiss looking across the chess board at him. He shrugged, not sure how to put into words what he was feeling.

"Did you and Amber have a fight over religion?" Prentiss asked, knowing that Reid's fiancee was the complete opposite of him when it came to religious faith. One of the things that Prentiss had learned about Amber in the nine months that she had known her was that it was her religious belief that she pulled strength from.

"No!" Reid replied quickly. So quickly, in fact, that Prentiss found herself wondering about the accuracy of the answer. Reid noticed the disbelieving look his teammate was shooting him. "Really," he told her. "Yes the subject has come up but we both know how each other feel about the topic and we respect each other's opinions and beliefs."

"I hear you've been going to church with Amber and Dave," Prentiss commented, having overheard a comment made by Agent Rossi to that effect. "Does that mean that your views on religion are changing?"

Reid shrugged his shoulders not sure how to reply to that question. Yes, he had started attending church service with Amber and her dad. Amber went three Sundays out of the month, the required Sunday that she had to put in on the base being the only time she didn't make it. Amber had only ever made one mention of him attending with her, and that had been right after Christmas, when she had told him that should he ever feel like joining her, the invitation was always opened. It hadn't been until May that he had ever taken her up on that invitation.

Reid had been thinking about it for a while. He wasn't sure how to explain some of the things that he was feeling inside, even though he had made a few attempts to talk to Amber. ~_She's been a great source of support_, ~ Reid reminded himself, as he thought about how Amber always seemed to be there even when he didn't realize himself that he needed her. ~_I don't think I would have made it this far without her strength. Never would have made it to the ten-month milestone, much less earn my year medallion, _~ he thought, as he remembered the medallion that was tucked safely within a pocket of his messenger bag, having returned John's medallion the same night that he had gotten his. Amber had been there that night, in the back of the room, his ever present source of strength. The NA meetings had been her idea. One he had fought at first but in retrospect realized just how right she had been about it being what he needed.

_They had been laying in bed early one morning, both trying to fall asleep after another nightmare had woke them both up. After he had confessed to her that he had thought about using the Dilaudid several times over the last week or so._

"_Spencer, perhaps you should consider going to NA meetings," she had suggested that night._

_Spencer had found himself shaking his head, even though Amber couldn't see the gesture in the darkness. "I've looked into the program. I know what the program is about. I don't think it's for me."_

"_Why not?"_

"_Well, you know I don't do well at talking in front of groups."_

"_You can when you need to."_

"_It seems to be targeted more toward people who are leaning toward some kind of religious faith," Reid had told her, thinking of the list of steps he had found that mentioned God. "That's not me, despite you grandmother's attempts last weekend at her birthday party."_

_Isabella Rossi, Agent Dave Rossi's mother, had celebrated her seventy-fifth birthday. The family celebration had been a huge deal and also marked the first time that she had met her granddaughter's fiancee. Isabella had taken a liking to the young doctor, though she had been reluctant to show that. A woman possessing a devout Catholic faith, she wasn't happy about her only son's daughter spending her life with a nonbeliever. The thing that scared her the most was that he would try to pull her granddaughter away from her faith. Forbid her to go to church. She had already watched that happen to her eldest daughter and wasn't going to idly watch it happen to her granddaughter. Isabella had spent much of the evening peppering Spencer with questions, taking a small comfort in the fact that "at least his soul isn't completely closed off" as she had whispered to Amber as they had said their goodbyes. Still, an open blessing on their union had not been offered but neither had the elderly Rossi made Spencer feel unwelcome._

"_A religious faith is not a requirement," Amber told him. "You could still benefit from it. Benefit from being with people who have been through what you're dealing with. Who have felt what you're feeling. I try to understand, Spencer, but I haven't been there."_

_He hadn't replied to that comment and Amber had spoken again._

"_I looked into area programs. There is one that is targeted just for law enforcement personnel - Beltway Clean Cops. Will you at least consider going to a meeting?"_

_Spencer had told her he would. A week later he had been at his first meeting which had been interrupted by the case coming in. The meeting he had met John at._

"_The meeting isn't over yet, is it?" Amber had questioned, as he climbed into the passenger seat of her pick-up after his conversation with John. She put a book mark in the book she had been reading, and tucked it beside her seat._

"_No. A case came in. I need to go in," he had replied, looking down at the medallion he still held in his hand._

"_What's that?" Amber asked, as she turned the key in the ignition, having noticed the medallion._

"_Help from someone who has been where I am," Spencer had replied, still not completely understanding why John had given it to him, but touched by the gesture. He looked over at her. "Thanks."_

_Amber nodded, a knowing smile on her face, before she looked over her shoulder and started backing the truck out of the parking space._

A couple of weeks later he had asked Amber if he could accompany her to church. Amber had simply told him she would be glad to have his company, not questioning his action. He had appreciated that fact, as he knew he would never be able to put into words what was compelling him to go. He wasn't even sure why he was going himself, but something inside him was compelling him to go. For once in his life, he didn't feel like questioning it. Since then, he had gone a few more times with Amber, listening intently as the priest stood at the front of the church and gave his sermon.

Figuring the shrug of the shoulders was the only answer she was going to get from her co-worker, Prentiss looked back down at the chess board. The fact that she was in check limited her options of possible moves as whatever move she made had to put her king out of harm's way. As she made her move, Reid spoke again.

"I'm not really sure," Reid ventured. " I guess at this point I'm just trying to stay open but like I said it just seems like religion complicates a lot of things. That a lot of conflicts have a religious element to them."

"Be careful not to blend religion with the people who choose to pervert it," Prentiss cautioned, as she watched Reid contemplate his next move.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, for the most part most religions teach about acceptance of others and forgiveness. It's individuals who twist those principals to justify their own views. Like this situation we're heading into. I'm not completely up on all the religious views of this sect, but somehow I doubt the abuse of children is anywhere in there."

Reid nodded, seeing the logic and truth in the dark-haired agent's words. Picking up his knight, he moved it to the left three spaces, lining it up with her King. "Checkmate," Reid replied simply, leaning back in the seat.

Prentiss looked down at the board, quickly checking all her open moves. There were none she could make that would save her King. "Okay, getting beat three times is quite enough," she said, as she started picking up the pieces. "Reid, whatever decision you make, do it for you and not because you're trying to please someone else," she ventured, not entirely sure how her younger teammate would take the unasked for advice, but feeling compelled to give it anyway. "And if you ever want someone to talk to or just need a sounding board, I'm here."

Reid nodded, thankful for the offer but not comfortable with opening up further to his teammate at this point. Though he had apologized to her for the times he had snapped at her while he was using, and she had accepted that apology without question, there was still a certain tension between the two of them. A tension that Reid wondered if they would ever get past.

_**Station Washington, Washington, D.C. around 2 p.m. Eastern Time . . . **_

Lt. Amber Rossi was at her desk, paperwork spread out in front of her. They had spent the morning running drills out in the Potomac, and now, as the most senior officer involved in those drills, she had all the paperwork to fill out. The only plus of having to complete the paperwork involved was that she got to enjoy the air conditioning instead of being back outside in the heat and humidity on the routine patrol the others were running.

Her telephone rang, and without looking up from the report she was filling out, Lt. Rossi picked up the phone.

"Station Washington, Lt. Rossi speaking," she said, in a business like tone. She wasn't sure what type of call she was expecting but she hadn't been anticipating hearing her father's voice.

"Amber, have you seen the news reports?" Agent Rossi asked, without even a hello. Amber knew something was wrong immediately.

"No. I've been busy all day," Amber replied. "What's going on?"

"Are you sitting down?"

"Yes," she replied, her thoughts immediately going to her fiancee, Spencer. He had headed out to Colorado that morning with his one teammate to investigate allegations of child abuse. Had something gone wrong? "Dad, what is it?"

"There has been a break out of hostilities at the ranch where Reid and Prentiss were headed. Apparently the Colorado State Police went to serve a warrant at the ranch and a gun battle broke out. The news is reporting three Child Services members are trapped within the compound."

"Are there any casualties?" Amber asked, bracing herself to hear bad news.

"A police officer is dead. So far, that's the only one that is being reported."

Amber felt a glimmer of hope at the reply. As long as no deaths within the compound were reported then she could still cling to the hope that Emily and Reid were okay. She recalled the good-bye she had said to Spencer that morning. It was only suppose to be for a few days.

_~Now that kiss might have been our last.~_

The thought went through her mind unwillingly. ~_Think positively_, ~ she told herself, fighting back the emotions that were building up inside of her. The last thing she wanted to do was break down here at the base where her co-workers could see her. She had worked hard to earn respect among the mostly male Coasties that manned Station Washington and she wasn't about to let even this ruin that. She would be strong for now. _~Falling apart isn't going to help anything_, ~ she told herself.

"Sweetie, we don't have a lot of information right now, but I wanted you to hear this from me and not somewhere else. The team is heading out there now. We're getting ready to board the plane right now. Someone will call you as soon as we know more," he told her.

"Okay," Amber replied. "And Dad, stay safe," she said, worried for her father's safety as well as Spencer's and the rest of the team. Her Dad. Fiancee. A man who had been like an uncle to her for many years and though the others may have started out as Spencer's friends that had changed over the months since she came to D.C.

"I love you," she added, not wanting to later regret not saying the words if the worse should happen.

"I love you too, Sweetie," Dave replied, before ending the call.

Lt. Amber Rossi placed the receiver in its place and stared down at the paperwork not really seeing it at all. Her thoughts were in Colorado, wondering how Spencer was. Was he hurt? Had his and Emily's cover been blown? How did an interview with the children of the Separatarian ranch turn into this?

"Everything okay, Lieutenant?"

Lt. Rossi looked up to see Lt. Commander Hines, commanding officer for Station Washington, standing in front of her. Momentarily she entertained the thought of dismissing the question. Of telling her superior that everything was fine. The genuine concern she saw on his face though kept her from doing so. Instead, Lt. Rossi told Hines what was going on.

"If you need to take the rest of the day off, we can get along without you," Lt. Commander Hines told her.

"No," Lt. Rossi answered quickly, which earned her a disapproving look from her commanding officer. "I need to stay. I need something to keep my mind from thinking up all kinds of worst case scenarios."

"Okay," Hines replied, understanding where she was coming from. "I want you to stick close to base though. Keep yourself occupied with paperwork and if you change your mind or you need someone to talk to, you know where my office is at."

"Thank-you, sir," Lt. Rossi replied, grateful that she wouldn't have to head home and wear a path in the living room carpet from pacing. ~_At least not yet_, ~ she told herself, as Hines continued to his office and Lt. Rossi looked back down at the report she had been working on before the phone call from her father.

_**The airport . . .**_

Agent David Rossi disconnected the call to his daughter, and tucked the phone away in the inside pocket of his suit jacket. Ahead of him, most of the team had reached the jet and were starting to ascend the steps. Midway between him and the jet, Rossi saw that Hotch had paused and was waiting for him. Picking his go-bag up off the ground and slinging the strap over one shoulder, Rossi headed for the waiting jet. As he reached him, Hotch fell in step with his old friend.

"How did she take it?" Hotch asked.

"About how you would expect her to," Rossi replied. He glanced over at his friend and saw the concern and understanding there. "She'll be fine for now," Rossi said confidently. "Amber is at work, and as long as she's got that to concentrate on she'll be fine. It's later this evening that I'm worried about."

"JJ has already called Will to get him to pick Amber up when she leaves the base. It's probably better if she doesn't drive and she might want the company later tonight."

"Good thinking," Rossi said, grateful for his friend's foresight. The idea of having someone pick Amber up had crossed his mind, and he had even considered having one of the other agents in the office do just that but had decided against it. He didn't think his daughter would take to well to some random agent showing up to escort her home. Granted, she didn't know Will well, the former New Orleans detective having just recently moved to the city to be with JJ now that the two were expecting a child, but he had a feeling Amber would take to him better than one of the bureau's agents. Having formed friendships with all his team members, Amber would accept Will's presence as a friend looking out for another friend. Not to mention, as the former police officer dealt with JJ on a regular basis, Amber would be hard put to frighten Will off. "I should have thought of that myself."

"You were more preoccupied with making sure Amber heard the news from someone she knew rather than through the media. As her honorary uncle, it's my job to think about what came after that," Hotch said, resting a hand briefly on Rossi's shoulder as the two reached the steps to the jet.

Rossi simply nodded before starting up the steps and onto the jet. JJ and Morgan had already stowed their bags and were settled in seats. Morgan was pulling a lap top out of it's carrying case. Rossi and Hotch both stored their own bags, and as Hotch headed up front to tell the pilots they were ready to go, Rossi slid into a window seat on the opposite side of the table at which Morgan was sitting.

It wasn't long before Hotch was sliding into the seat beside Rossi. Shortly after, the agents of the BAU felt the plane start to move. They were on their way out to Colorado to the aid of their two co-workers and friends. By the time they were in the air, the lap top had booted up and Morgan wasted no time finding the breaking news coverage on the situation they were heading into. Until they got to Colorado, there wasn't much they could do except keep up to date on the situation out there so they were ready to hit the ground running when they reached Liberty Ranch. This time, it wasn't only people whom they didn't know that they were rushing to save but two of their own.


	2. Mon Ami

_**Coast Guard Station Washington, Washington D.C. . . .**_

Lt. Amber Rossi put the finished report into the outbox. The afternoon had drug on, and keeping her mind focused on the paperwork in front of her had proved difficult. Her thoughts kept finding their way to Colorado and wondering what was going on out there.

Amber looked up at the clock, whose hands were just about reaching the position of five o'clock. It seemed as if more than three hours had passed since her father's phone call. A phone call that could possibly mark a turning point in her life. This morning she had been happily engaged, even if she had been putting off any conversations that even hinted at setting a date for the wedding. Her mother was getting married for the fifth time in a couple of weeks. Details and arrangements for that event were about all the wedding talk she could muster. Not to mention she was torn between the decision of being married in the Catholic church or not. It wasn't that she didn't want a Catholic Wedding but more of all the issues surrounding doing so.

Yes, Spencer had been coming to church with her on a regular basis, but she knew he was still doing some soul searching when it came to his feelings on religion and the last thing she wanted was to put pressure on him when it came to that. A sacramental wedding in the Catholic Church had to be between two baptized Christians, and though they could still get permission for a non-sacramental wedding from the bishop, Amber was afraid that Spencer would feel pressured to be baptized to please her. That was the last thing she wanted to do. If Spencer was to share her faith, she wanted him to make that choice of his own free will. She knew she loved him no matter what.

~_Now, a decision about a wedding might be a moot point, ~ _Amber thought. If something happened to Spencer out on that ranch then she could very well be planning an event very different from a wedding. ~_Think positively_, ~ Amber told herself, trying to banish the dark thought from her mind. She had a feeling that those two words were going to get a lot of use in a short period of time.

Amber looked back at the clock and did some calculations. Her father had said they were at the airport ready to leave when he had called. ~_That means they should be about ready to land out in Colorado. It'll probably still be awhile before anyone calls me with an update_ ~. She sighed and changed her gaze from the clock to the inbox. Officially her day ended at five, but there were still a few items in the inbox, which never seemed to be empty. If she hung around, she would be able to occupy herself with paperwork.

Lt. Rossi glanced in the direction of the base commander's office. Somehow, after his earlier comment that she could go home early if she needed to, Lt. Commander Hines wouldn't take to well to seeing her hanging around too long past hours. _~He'd probably order me to go home before too long, _~ she mused. Deciding that she would rather avoid that eventuality altogether, Amber joined her fellow officers who were also finishing their shifts in packing things away for the day.

"Lieutenant Rossi, you have a visitor ma'am."

The sound of Ensign Suarez's voice caused Amber to look in that direction, curious as to who was there to see her. Though she had made friends with a few of the women on her street, none of them would come to the base and if it was one of her fellow officers, Ensign Suarez wouldn't be announcing them. Other than that, everyone she knew in the D.C. area was currently in Colorado. Everyone that was except for . . .

"Will?" Amber said, unable to keep the surprise out of her voice. She had forgotten that the former New Orleans detective had moved up here to be with JJ. "What are you doing here?"

"I drew escort duty," Will replied in his Louisiana drawl and a slight shrug of his shoulders.

"I'm quite capable of getting myself home. I don't need an escort," Amber replied, wondering if her father had anything to do with the situation. Of course Aaron was a suspect in it too. ~_Probably a combination of the two_, ~ she finally decided.

"I'm sure you are and Agent Hotchner and Agent Rossi are probably quite aware of that fact too. Still, this is a difficult situation for everyone involved, and they're just concerned about you. Want to make sure that you're not alone through this. Nobody should be by themselves when they're worried about loved ones who are in danger. So, what do you say mon amie, let a fella give you a ride home?"

Amber looked into Will's eyes, and saw only sincerity there. That he was concerned about her being alone while waiting for news as a friend and not just someone coming to pick her up because her Dad or Aaron was worried about her. That they were trying to protect their 'little girl', Aaron having gotten very protective of her not long after he and her Dad started working together. She had been living with her father when Hotch had transferred to the BAU from Seattle. Her father had taken the new profiler under his wing, and they had quickly become friends both at the office and out of it. A dinner at the Hotchners had become a common occurrence by the time that Amber had returned to Texas that fall. Though it hadn't occurred to her then, Amber had wondered in recent years if her father had confided to Aaron the reason she had been living with her father at the time. If so, none of them had ever mentioned it.

"If you drive me to home tonight, how am I getting to work tomorrow?" Amber asked, the argument sounding weak even to her own ears. She was grasping for a reason to refuse the ride, not because she didn't appreciate the gesture but because she was clinging to her own stubborn independence, a trait her mother always blamed on her father.

"I'll give you a ride back to base in the morning," Will replied calmly without missing a beat. "It's not like I'm currently employed and I have a busy schedule to keep."

Try as she might, Amber couldn't come up with another argument, lame or not. If she hung around too long, Will might even have reinforcements in the form of her commanding officer. Besides, not having to deal with the D.C. traffic would be a nice change. Amber also had to admit that a part of her had no desire to be alone right about now. Alone would mean way too much time to think and come up with possible scenarios that could be playing out in Colorado right now.

"Fine, I'll accept the ride home. Thank-you," Amber said, finding herself giving in. Taking one final look to make sure everything was in order before she left, Amber got to her feet. She walked around the desk to meet Will who was waiting for her, Suarez having made himself scarce near the beginning of the conversation.

The two silently left the building, Amber allowing Will lead her his car. As they left Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling on which, Station Washington was located, Amber started giving Will directions. Not only was the former New Orleans detective still getting familiar with the D.C. area, he had also never been to her home before. Since he had moved up to the area, Amber had only spent one evening with him and that had been at JJ's place when Reid and Amber had gone over for dinner. The two of them had ended up stopping for Chinese on the way there, Will having done the ordering as Amber insisted she wasn't hungry. As Will pulled the car into her driveway, Amber glanced at the clock above the radio - 5:45.

~_They should definitely be in Colorado by now. More than likely they are already at the ranch. What is going on? _~ Amber thought, as she pushed open the car door and climbed out of the vehicle.

Will had grabbed the bag containing the Chinese food, and was right behind Amber as she walked to the front door of her townhouse. As she took her house key out and attempted to put it into the lock, she realized that her hand was shaking. Taking a deep breath, she let it out slowly, trying to calm herself down. The last thing she wanted to do was start crying in front of Will, whom she didn't know all that well. She finally got the key into the slot, unlocked the door, and pushed the door open. Stepping into the house, she reached out and automatically turned the hall light on, and then entered the code to turn off the alarm system.

Amber pointed Will in the direction of the kitchen and then excused herself to go change out of her uniform. Up in the bedroom, Amber turned the TV on and flipped through the news stations until she found coverage of the standoff in La Plata County, Colorado. The caption at the bottom of the screen read - Agents From the FBI's Behavioral Analysis Have Arrived on Scene.

~_Dad, Aaron and the others are there then, ~ _Amber thought, as she grabbed a pair of workout pants and a T-shirt out of the dresser drawer. Taking her cell phone out of her pocket, she placed it on top of the dresser. As she changed out of her uniform and into the more comfortable clothes, she continued to watch the news coverage which was only repeating the same information over and over again. Information that she already knew. ~_I actually know more than they do_, ~ she thought bitterly, pulling the T-shirt on over her head, and picking up the remote. She turned the news coverage off and leaving the uniform draped over the footboard of the bed, she picked up her cell phone, and headed out of the room. ~_The best thing I can do at this point is just wait for a phone call from Dad or JJ, _~ Amber told herself, knowing that she was going to hear about developments before the media got a hold of it.

Reaching the kitchen she found that Will had managed to find the plates and silverware and had placed the opened containers of food on the small kitchen table, plates and silverware set up in front of the two chairs that were at the table. Will was currently closing one of the cabinets. At the sound of her footsteps he glanced over his shoulder.

"Where are the glasses?"

"Next cupboard to your right," Amber told him. "Shouldn't I be doing this?"

"Not tonight," Will responded without missing a beat, as if he had anticipated Amber saying that. "Have a seat. I'll get us both something to drink and then we can both sit down and have something to eat while we wait for a phone call."

Too preoccupied with her worry over Spencer, Emily and now her Dad who was on the scene, Amber sat down at the table, placing the cell phone down near her plate. Mechanically, she scooped some of the food onto her plate, not really aware of what it was she was eating. Will asked her a question and as he didn't question her further she assumed she had given him an appropriate response.

~_How were Spencer and Emily being treated by the members of the cult_, ~ she wondered, as Will placed a glass down on the table in front of her and sat down across from her? ~_Were they taken hostage on purpose or just in the wrong place at the wrong time? Had the cult wanted hostages for bargaining chips? ~_

So far, Amber had only managed to push the food around on her plate, trying to make it looks like she was eating, but not really having an appetite. She could feel Will's eyes on her from across the table, though he hadn't said anything yet. Knowing that the former New Orleans detective wasn't going to let her get away with not eating anything, Amber forced herself to eat a few bites of the Chinese food, not really tasting it.

When her phone finally rang, she grabbed quickly for it. "Hello," she said, answering the call without even bothering to look at who was calling.

"Amber it's JJ," came the familiar voice of the team's media liaison. "There isn't much new to report right now, but I knew you would be anxious to hear from someone. We're at the command center that the Hostage Negotiation and Rescue Unit have set up. Your father has taken over as the lead negotiator."

Amber felt mixed emotions at that piece of information. She felt relief in knowing that he dad was in charge because she knew he had been in situations like this before. He had taught hostage negotiation at the academy at one point. However, she felt uneasiness in that fact because she knew this was nothing like those other situations he had handled. Her father hadn't known any of the people on the inside in those situations. How objective could he be? Amber knew her father cared about Spencer, and not just for her sake. The whole team thought of each other as family, just like her flight crew back in Kodiak had. People died in standoffs like these, it was inevitable and if something happened to Spencer, she knew her father would blame himself. Not to mention, what would her own reaction be? Though she couldn't imagine doing so now, would she lash out at her father needing someone to blame?

_~Don't think like that. He's going to be fine_, ~ Amber told herself, remembering her earlier thoughts of the words 'think positively' becoming her mantra for the duration of this situation.

"The state police have been sent away to try to diffuse the situation," JJ said, continuing her report. "They're mapping out a plan of action right now. I wish I could say we knew how Spence and Emily are, but we don't have that information. I know they're going to be okay though. They both know how to handle themselves in these kinds of situations," JJ said.

Amber knew the words were being said to help lift her spirits. _~JJ must have caught onto my think positively mantra, _~ Amber thought. Out loud she said, "as soon as you know anything for sure let me know. I don't care what time it is."

"Someone will," JJ assured her. "Is Will there with you?"

"Yes. I'm assuming you're behind him coming to pick me up somehow," Amber replied.

"Just looking out for a friend," JJ told her. "Could I talk to him?"

"Sure, and JJ, thanks," Amber said, knowing she didn't have to elaborate on what she was thanking the media liaison for.

"You're welcome," JJ replied.

Amber handed the phone over to Will, who spoke briefly with JJ before ending the call. Amber tried to eat a little more of the food, before finally giving up on making the effort. She wrapped foil over the plate containing what she hadn't eaten, and put it in the refrigerator. ~_Perhaps, I'll have more of an appetite later_, ~ she thought.

Between the two of them, Will and Amber took care of putting the food away and cleaning up the kitchen. Then they headed to the living room. Though she hadn't asked him to stay, Amber knew Will was going to hang around for a while yet, unless she sent him away. She had no intentions on doing that. Though she never would have asked someone to come hang out with her, she wouldn't deny to herself that she felt something calming about the southern gentleman's presence.

"Is there something you two have been keeping secret from everyone?" Will asked as he sat down on one end of the couch.

As she turned the TV on with the remote, Amber looked in his direction. Will was browsing through a pile of books on what to expect during pregnancy and parenting that Spencer had been devouring ever since he had found out that JJ was pregnant. In typical Spencer fashion, when faced with a situation that was new to him, he wanted to find out as much as he could about it.

Amber allowed herself a small smile. "No, no secrets. No baby for us, yet. Spencer got those books after he found out JJ was pregnant."

"I guess I know what she meant by she had her own source of information then," Will replied, thinking of his girlfriend's remark when he asked her why she wasn't reading up on her pregnancy and parenting. She had told him she didn't need to read books when she had her own source of information. Will picked up one book in particular and held it up. "I'm currently reading this book myself," he commented. Amber looked over to see that it was one of the books on parenting.

"You know there are a lot of things about parenting that you're not going to learn from a book," Amber commented, as she flipped through TV channels trying to find something semi interesting.

"I know but I figured the books will give me somewhere to start. I've always wanted a kid but I wasn't planning on it at this particular point of my life. The one time we didn't use protection and look what happens," Will said. "Not that I don't want to be a Dad. I'm excited about it but frightened at the prospect too. I think JJ is more scared at the thought of making a commitment to me than the thought of motherhood."

"Then you have asked her to marry you?" Amber asked, getting up the nerve to ask the question she had been wondering about since JJ admitted to seeing Will.

"Several times, both before and after I found out she was pregnant. She keeps saying no. How did Spencer get you to say yes to him?" Will asked, putting the book down on top of the others and leaning back on the couch.

"We almost broke up right before he proposed," Amber admitted, thinking about the fight following the Yuletide Ball the previous December. "Don't get me wrong. The thought of marriage still scares me. I've seen so many of them fall apart that part of me doesn't think it's possible to make them work even now. However, our careers got in the way of our relationship once before, and I guess what scared me more than even marriage was the thought of investing time and my heart into a relationship just to have that happen again. I needed to know that he wanted to make this work as much as I did."

"Have you set a date yet?"

Amber let out a small laugh. "You sound like Spencer wanting to know when we're going to discuss setting a date," she told him. In fact, her fiancee had asked her that just a couple of days ago and once again she had changed the subject and put it off. Amber felt tears welling up in her eyes. She bit her lower lip and looked up at the ceiling, trying to will away the unshed tears. "Now we might never actually get a chance to set a date," she finally managed to say, her voice wavering with the emotions she was trying to control.

"Mon amie, don't talk like that," Will said, scooting over on the couch so that he was sitting next to her, so he could put an arm around Amber's shoulders. "Spencer's resilient and he's got the best agents in the FBI working to get him out of that ranch. He's going to be back here in no time, you'll see, and then you'll finally have to give in to his requests and set a date."

Amber nodded, reaching up to wipe away a few stray tears.

"And perhaps the two of you can get started on putting those books to use for yourself," Will said slyly, the comment getting the desired smile out of Amber that he was hoping for.

"I'm more than ready to do just that. It's Spencer that isn't so sure about the prospect of having a baby."

"Yeah, well I can't say I blame him there. Fatherhood is quite a scary prospect," Will commented. "He'll come around though."

Amber nodded, more than willing to let Will think that was indeed the reason that Spencer was unsure of having kids, Amber thought about one of the first times that she and Spencer had talked about having kids.

_They had been at the zoo that day with Aaron and Jack. It wasn't originally how they were supposed to spend one of the rare free Saturdays that they actually got to spend together. The original plan was for Aaron, Spencer and herself to spend the day hiking. That was before Haley had called asking Aaron to take Jack for the day even though it wasn't his weekend. Aaron wasn't about to say no and so the group had ended up at the zoo instead._

_She had been standing at the prairie dog exhibit with Spencer, as Aaron chased Jack, whose attention had been caught by another animal._

"_Think that could be you someday?" Amber asked as a way of bringing up the subject of having kids._

_Spencer looked from the prairie dogs to his boss and his son. The sight of Hotch and Jack enjoying time together seemed so natural. It was a joy he would like to experience but the risk of what getting there could bring weighed heavily on his mind._

"_I guess someday," he replied._

_Amber turned to look at him. "You don't want to have kids?"_

"_No, it's not that," Spencer said quickly. "It's just that, well you know what my mom is like and we've discussed the possibility that with schizophrenia being genetically passed that I might . . . well, I guess I just worry about passing that further down the line."_

"_Just because your mom has the illness doesn't mean you're going to get it or that our kids might get it."_

"_But it does increase the chances."_

"_So you're going to let your life be ruled by what ifs?"_

"_No. Of course not. It's just the prospects scare me. I'm just not ready to deal with that yet." _

She had dropped the subject then and the two had walked hand in hand to join Aaron and Jack. It had been Spencer who had brought up the subject the second time, asking about her desire to have kids. Her reply was that she did some day, when they were both ready.

~_What if there isn't a some day? _~ Amber thought, seeing Spencer's smiling face in her mind. ~_I don't want to go on without him. He's a part of me now. I love the life we've made for ourselves here._~

Despite her resolve not to cry, the tears came this time. Having not removed his arm from around her shoulders, Will simply pulled her a little closer, making know effort to try getting her to stop crying. He knew that Amber needed this. That she needed the emotional release that the tears would provide.

* * *

><p>A few hours later, the movie that Amber and Will had ended up watching came to an end. There still hadn't been another phone call from those out in Colorado. Amber had to restrain herself from making a call herself. She hated not knowing. She tried to stifle the yawn she felt, but it happened anyway.<p>

"Perhaps you should head to bed," Will suggested. He had moved back to the other end of the couch.

Amber shook her head. She knew she wouldn't be able to sleep right then. Not until she knew something for sure anyway and maybe not even then. Not only would lying in bed give her time to think but it would remind her that Spencer wasn't there with her, especially as he had been living with her since March, the two of them deciding that Spencer having things at two different places was just ridiculous. He spent most of his time away from work at the townhouse instead of his apartment anyway. His landlady, having a list of people waiting for an apartment, had happily let him out of his lease early. Though there were plenty of nights he wasn't here, the job taking him to who knows what city or town, this was different. This time she didn't know if he was okay or not.

"Perhaps you should head home yourself though," Amber suggested. "It is getting late."

"Do you want me to go?"

"No," Amber said, more quickly than she would have liked. "It's just that I'm enjoying the company and this place would seem so empty if I was here alone. Perhaps you could stay here tonight? I've got the extra bedroom and JJ is out of town too?"

"I think I can accommodate you. Wasn't looking forward to going home to my quiet place either tonight," Will replied, getting to his feet. "Just let me get my bag from my car," he told her.

Will had reached the doorway of the living room when Amber spoke again.

"You had been planning on staying the night the whole time weren't you?" she asked, turning so that she was looking over the back of the couch at Will standing in the doorway.

"Guilty as charged," Will answered with a smile. "Figured it would be so much easier if I let you ask than if I tried to suggest it to you. I know just how stubborn independent women can be."

Amber smiled unable to deny that if he had suggested he spend the night here she probably would have fought the idea. ~_JJ is one lucky lady but then so am I_, ~ she thought.

"I'll be right back," Will told her, stepping out of the room and heading toward the front door.


	3. Father and Son

"_Cyrus told us that one of the children services workers had been killed, probably during the initial attack," David Rossi had told his daughter when he had called her after finally being able to make contact with the sect leader. He was making the assumption of when Nancy Lunde was killed based on Cyrus' claim that it wasn't them. "The name he gave us was Nancy Lunde, the actual child's services worker. Prentiss and Reid are still alive."_

_Rossi had heard Amber's sigh of relief over the phone. He hoped with that reassurance that his daughter would be able to at least get some sleep that night._

"_I'm taking supplies up to them at first light to check the situation out on the inside for myself."_

"_Are you sure that's the best idea? What if . . ."_

"_Sweetie, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Besides, I need to establish a rapport with their leader if there is to be any hope of a peaceful outcome to the situation."_

"_Be careful."_

"_I will. Try not to worry. Someone will call you after the supply run."_

That conversation had taken place two hours before. Now, after everything had been prepared for the morning supply run, Rossi lay in the reclined front passenger seat of their SUV, trying to get some rest himself. Trying was the key word. He knew he needed at least a quick nap to stay sharp. To avoid making stupid mistakes. Rossi wondered if anyone else was having any luck at sleeping.

Rossi's thoughts turned to his two teammates inside and how they were faring or if they were hurt. It was clear to the FBI agent that the children service workers had only been taken 'hostage' because of the State Police attack on the ranch. The sect members had reacted on instinct and tried to get everyone to safety. This hadn't been a set up. Prentiss and Reid had simply been in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Though he was worried about both of his co-workers, Rossi couldn't deny that he was worried more about Reid. He knew it wasn't because he thought Reid was less capable of handling the situation than Prentiss but because he had a more personal connection with the younger agent. He could see how happy Reid and his daughter were together every time he saw the two of them together. The fact that he made his daughter happy, had earned Reid points in Rossi's eyes but as he spent more time with him, Rossi couldn't deny that though Amber and Reid weren't married yet, he thought of Reid as a son already. That fact had become obvious to him back in April in West Bune, Texas.

_Hotch, Morgan and himself had arrived back at the station to find that Owen Savage had already reached the station. Owen was standing in the middle of the street, gun in hand, and Reid had been out there with him, talking to the teen. As he and his fellow agents had taken up defensive positions, Rossi noted that not only wasn't Reid wearing a vest but the young genius wasn't armed either. Looking over his shoulder, Reid had noted their presence and then moved putting himself in between them and Owen._

"_What's he doing?" Rossi had asked._

"_Blocking our shot," Hotch replied, clearly unhappy with his agent's actions._

_Rossi didn't remember ever feeling more relieved on the job than when Owen had placed the gun down on the ground. As relieved as he felt, he also had a sudden urge to give Reid a piece of his mind. How could he do something so stupid? As he knew his feelings stemmed more from personal feelings than professional, he held himself in check. In front of their co-workers, or even at the local police station was not the time and place. Nor had he approached Reid on the plane trip home, letting Hotch have his discussion with the younger agent first. However, when they were back at the BAU, and everyone was getting ready to head home, Rossi had finally approached Reid._

"_I'd like a word with you in my office before you leave," Rossi had told the younger agent. When Reid hesitated, Rossi added, "that wasn't a request," before heading to his office, confident that the younger agent would find his way there._

_Rossi was sitting down in his chair, when Reid walked slowly through the doorway._

"_Close the door," Rossi instructed._

_Reid did as he was told. Even though he was the one shutting the door, Rossi noticed that the kid jumped slightly at the sound of the door closing. Reid then slowly made his way toward the desk, the look on his face clearly saying that he wanted to be anywhere other than where he was. _

"_Have a seat," Rossi said, gesturing to the chair across from him._

"_Sir, with all due respect, it isn't your place to call me out for my actions on the case," Reid said nervously as he sat down across from Rossi. "Agent Hotchner is my direct supervisor and he's already spoken with me."_

"_I'm sure he has and was probably quite stern about it," Rossi replied. "He has a way of getting his point across when he feels one of his subordinates has crossed a line," he added, a knowing smile on his face. Rossi had managed to cross one of those lines on his first case back. "And you're right. It's not my place to call you out on your actions professionally."_

"_Then why am I here?" Reid asked._

_Rossi had thought the kid looked liked he wanted to be anywhere else other than that office right about then._

"_Because what I'm about to say has nothing to do with our professional relationship and everything to do with our personal relationship and the fact that you're engaged to my daughter gives me every right to say that what you did out in Texas was stupid and selfish."_

"_I'm not stupid," Reid had countered._

"_I said what you did was stupid," Rossi said. "Purposely blocking your teammates, who are suppose to have your back, from having a clear shot at an armed suspect. When that kid reached into his coat, I thought he was going to shoot you and do you know what the first thing that went through my head was?" Rossi paused, his unwavering gaze focused on Reid, who silently shook his head in response to the question. "The first thing I thought about was how I was going to tell Amber. It's something I worry about with every case we go on now because if anything happens to you, I'm the one who is going to end up breaking that news to her. Did you even think about her when you needlessly put your life in danger out there?"_

"_I couldn't see Owen shot in front of me. I couldn't face that again."_

"_Is this about Ryan Phillips?"_

_Reid nodded, his gaze dropping to the desk between them._

"_That wasn't your fault. Vaughn pulled the trigger, not you. And do you really trust us that little?" Rossi asked._

"_What?" Reid asked, looking up from the desk, a panicked look on his face._

"_We were the only ones on scene Reid. Have you ever known any of us to fire a shot unless it was absolutely necessary?"_

"_No."_

"_We all have things about this job that we take personally, I know that from experience but I've learned something since coming back to the bureau. I've learned that no matter what, I can trust this team. None of us would have pulled the trigger unless we thought you were in danger."_

"_I know," Reid managed to get out, his voice breaking._

_Reid had suddenly got to his feet then and strode over to the window that would have shown the bullpen if the blinds hadn't been drawn. He stood there, staring at the blinds, arms folded tightly across himself. Rossi had waited a few moments, trying to decide the best thing to say or do next. It was when he had seen Reid reach up to wipe tears away that Rossi got to his feet. Crossing the short distance, Rossi was soon standing behind the younger man. He placed his hand on Reid's shoulder before he spoke._

"_Son, this job has plenty of dangers that we can't control. Everyone in the bureau, a police force, or branch of the military and their families are aware of that. Don't go creating more dangers. You've got people who care about you - the members of this team, your mother, Amber, and myself. You coming home safely is more important to us than anybody our lives passes while doing this job, victim or UnSub. Try keeping that in mind the next time you needlessly put your life in danger."_

_Reid nodded, unsure what to say. The two stood like that in silence for a few minutes before Rossi finally spoke._

"_I think its about time we head home. I'll give you a ride."_

"_Thanks," was the only word the younger agent had said, and it was made without making eye contact._

Rossi sighed. This wasn't working. His mind was too keyed up to let sleep come. Putting the seat back in an upright position, he climbed from the vehicle. As he headed back toward the command post that had been set up, Rossi let his eyes drift in the direction of the ranch.

"This is one of those dangers that are out of our control that I was talking about, Spencer," Rossi said softly, though there was no one else to hear the words.

~_That was the first and only time I've called him son_, ~ Rossi thought, as he averted his gaze and continued walking. ~_It seemed natural at that time. I didn't even think about using it then and I haven't really been conscious of the fact that I haven't used it since but we're getting closer to that time when the term son will be accurate. Granted they haven't set a date, but it's only a matter of time.~_

It took Rossi no time at all for him to reach the makeshift HRT headquarters. Stepping inside, he found Hotch already there with the members of the HRT unit that were on watch.

"See you couldn't sleep either," Hotch commented upon seeing Rossi enter.

"No," Rossi replied managing a forced half smile. "Too much on my mind."

Hotch nodded in understanding.

"Where's Morgan?"

"Probably still trying to put a good show in of trying to get some sleep," Hotch replied. He had no illusions that the younger FBI agent was having any more success than they themselves had. ~_And JJ probably isn't getting too much sleep at the hotel but hopefully she's at least lying down and resting for her sake and the sake of the baby, _~ Hotch thought.

Just then Torre walked into the building carrying a box. "Supplies are here," Agent Torre announced. "We just need to get the transmitters hidden inside and ready for delivery."

"At least we'll have something to do," Rossi said softly, loud enough only for Hotch to hear.

"I'll go get Morgan," Hotch said, in a normal voice.

* * *

><p>"Why do you think one of us is a FBI agent?" Reid asked, wondering where Cyrus had gotten the idea and why he thought there was only one.<p>

Cyrus had pulled a gun out, and Reid watched him nervously. ~_This isn't good_, ~ he thought, having seen Prentiss shocked expression in the brief glance they had shared.

"God will forgive me for what I must do," Cyrus said calmly, bringing the gun up and pointing it at Reid.

"I'm . . . I don't know what you're talking about," Reid managed to get out, his eyes focused on the gun being pointed at him.

"_For God's Will," _he heard the Raphael persona of Tobias Hankle say in his mind. Part of him was no longer in Colorado. Part of him was in Georgia, being held captive there.

"One of you does. Who is it?" Cyrus asked calmly, looking straight at Reid.

The undercover agent struggled to maintain eye contact with him, even as his heart pounded in his chest. He thought of Amber. For the first time since this had all started, he really believed that he might not ever see her again.

"Me," Prentiss said quietly, surprising Reid. "It's me."

Cyrus lowered his gun and then grabbed Prentiss by the hair. As he watched the cult leader drag her away, Reid wanted to do something but knew it wouldn't do any good as Cole held a rifle pointed at him. Trying to be a hero at this point would only get him shot.

Reid sat there alone. His mind going through all kinds of scenarios that Prentiss was going to be facing. ~_I should have spoken up. I should have told him it was me_, ~ Reid thought, as he stared at Cole who still held the weapon pointed straight at him.

* * *

><p>Once again Amber found herself sitting on the couch in the living room with Will. She had gone to work yesterday, needing something to occupy herself with. Will had driven her there without protest. Though he had shown back up that afternoon, Amber had driven herself home, the former detective following. The two had gone through the motions of a normal evening, watching the news coverage on the stand-off out in Colorado and waiting for word from her father or JJ or someone else on the team.<p>

Though Amber had gone to her room at nine o'clock that night, Will retreating once again to the spare bedroom, she hadn't slept well. She had spent the night tossing and turning, and catching short naps here and there. It had been the second night she had done so. Around five-thirty in the morning she had finally called into the base, telling them she was calling out. She knew her commanding officer would understand and have no problem with it, and with the amount of sleep she had gotten the last couple of days, she knew that she wouldn't be much good at the base anyway.

Now, she and Will were watching the news coverage from Colorado again. Not much new was being said. Amber found the short calls from Spencer's team to be more informative than the continuous coverage.

~_Two days. This has been going on for two days. How is Spencer doing? _~ Amber found herself wondering. ~_Dad said he was fine when he took the supplies in and that Spencer was still helping them from the inside. He's made it this far. He's going to make it through this _ordeal. ~ Amber told herself, still trying to keep her spirits up.

Beside her, Will sat up straighter. Bringing herself out of her thoughts, Amber focused on the newscast that was on the tv screen before her.

"Latest reports are that the FBI has negotiated the release of some of the cult members from the ranch. A group of men, women and children have been released from the church where the cult members have holed up during the stand-off that is now into its third day. We will pass along further information as we receive it."

"One way or another, it's going to come to an end soon," Will commented.

Amber knew exactly what he meant. She was familiar with the Minimal Loss scenario, having grown up the daughter of an FBI agent who had been involved in that scenario more than once during his career.

Amber's cell phone rang. She reached out and picked it up, noticing her father's number on the screen.

"Hi, Dad," she said, answering the call.

"Sweetie, I can't talk long we've got plans to make here but before we get too busy here I wanted to call. We're going into the ranch at three in the morning. One way or another, this is all going to be over before another sun rises."

"I'll be praying for your safety," Amber told him. "Be careful."

"I will. Keep your chin up, Kiddo. I'm still trying for a good outcome to this mess."

"I love you, Dad"

"Love you too, Sweetie," Rossi replied, before he ended the phone call.

Amber ended the call, and placed the cell phone back on the coffee table.

"They're getting ready to go in, then?" Will asked, having a good idea of what the phone call had consisted of from Amber's side of the conversation and from watching her reaction.

Amber nodded, unable to speak. Will slid over on the couch, and put an arm around her shoulder. After what they had been through together over the last couple of days, the thought to resist the gesture didn't even cross Amber's mind. Instead, she leaned toward him, taking what strength and comfort she could from her friend.

* * *

><p>A half hour after the explosion of the chapel, things were still busy on the Separatarian Sect ranch. The media was still trying to get as much information and footage as they could. A number of ambulances were on the scene, the paramedics checking everyone over and making sure no one needed further medical care. As busy as it was though, order had been returned to the scene and the stand-off was over, with only minimal casualties. The FBI agents that had been a part of the assault knew that as bad as this was, it could have been worse.<p>

Leaving Hotch to deal with Prentiss, who was arguing with paramedics that she didn't need to be checked out at the hospital, Rossi started through the crowd of sect members, paramedics and law enforcement personnel, in search of their two other agents. Rossi had a feeling a similar argument was probably going on wherever the two of them were, knowing that Reid would be as reluctant to go to the hospital as Prentiss.

Rossi wasn't disappointed when he found his two team members. Morgan and Reid were standing at the back of an ambulance, the paramedic sitting in the back of the vehicle looking like he wanted to be anywhere else right about then. Rossi didn't need to hear their words to know what Morgan and Reid were arguing about. The older FBI agent continued to walk toward the two of them.

It was Morgan who spotted Rossi first.

"Rossi, tell Reid he should listen to the paramedics and get checked out at the hospital," Morgan said, counting on the older agent to side with him.

Though Rossi had every intention of doing just that, it wasn't the first thing on his mind. Instead, he walked directly up to his youngest teammate, and pulled him into an embrace, something he had wanted to do since he had seen Morgan and Reid walking from the debris left by the explosion. He had held off then, knowing there had been way too many eyes on them for either of them to be comfortable with the gesture. Now though, they weren't the focus of attention and Rossi intended to let Reid know just how relieved he was that the kid was relatively okay.

"I'm so glad you're okay, son," Rossi said softly as he embraced the younger man, careful not to embrace him too hard, mindful of any injuries the younger agent might have.

Reid didn't make a response, but he did return the embrace. Though initially stiff, Rossi felt the younger man relax as he held him close. The older man wasn't sure how long they remained that way, but he didn't let go until he felt Reid pulling away from him.

"What did the paramedics say?" Rossi asked, looking directly at Reid as he asked the question.

Still sitting in the ambulance, the paramedic was the one that answered the question. "I think he needs to go to the hospital and get the ribs x-rayed just to be certain there aren't any cracked bones. The ribs on the right side are tender and there is no way to be sure without an x-ray."

Rossi nodded, his gaze not leaving Reid's. "Then you're doing just that," the older agent said. As Reid opened his mouth, Rossi cut off any potential protest from the younger agent. "I can go get Hotch, but I can tell you he's going to say the same thing I am. Not to mention, he's having this argument with Prentiss right now so me telling him you're refusing to follow medical advice is not going to go over well."

"Fine," Reid said, when Rossi stopped speaking. He knew he was outnumbered, and arguing wasn't going to get him anywhere.

"Good," Rossi said, as he removed his cell phone. He held the device out to Reid. "First though, I think there is a young lady back in D.C. who would really like to hear your voice."

"At this hour?" Reid asked.

"Somehow, I don't think she's sleeping and if she did doze off, she won't mind hearing from you. "

"If you don't make that call, Kid, don't look to me to protect you," Morgan chimed in.

Reid took the phone from Rossi. Flipping it open, it didn't take him long to locate Amber's number. The call was answered after the first ring, by a desperate sounding voice.

"Dad!"

Reid felt relief flood through him at the sound of his fiancee's voice. He had wondered if he was ever going to see her again, and just hearing her voice told him for sure that the ordeal he had faced the last few days was actually over.

"Amber, it's Spencer. I'm okay. I'll be home soon," he managed to get out before his voice broke. Reid felt a hand come to rest on his shoulder and knew it was Rossi's without even having to look. It was the presence of that hand that helped him keep the tears in check as he listened to Amber's relieved words of thankfulness that he was okay.


	4. Just Another Wedding

_**Freeport, Texas, 10 days later . . .**_

The upbeat country song came to an end, and some of the dancers on the dance floor left while others were hanging around for the start of the next song. In the middle of the floor, Amber spotted her mother, dressed in a white country style blouse, and calf-length five point skirt, edged with fringe, holding hands with husband number five. After a year and a-half of living together, and judging from her visit last November, Amber figured many arguments later, Carl had finally asked Margaret to marry him. When Amber had received the call at the end of January, it hadn't been a surprise to her that her mother had said yes. The news had however put off talk of her own wedding, as her mother had suggested a double ceremony. There was no way Amber planned on sharing her special day with her Mom. She was appreciative that Spencer had been understanding of the situation when she had told him about it.

Looking to the seat next to her, she realized how lucky she was to have Spencer Reid in her life. He was patient, kind, loyal, and caring - everything anyone could ask for in a life partner. Almost losing him a little over a week ago had really driven that point home to her.

The slow melody of Rascall Flatts' song "God Bless the Broken Road," began to fill the room. As the couples on the dance floor began to sway in time to the music, Spencer got slowly to his feet.

"May I have this dance?" he asked, holding his hand out to her.

Though still reluctant to go out on the dance floor for most fast songs, Amber was appreciative of the fact that Spencer had learned to dance since they had gotten back together. They had put his Valentine's gift of dance lessons to good use. Despite a few bruised toes at the beginning, Spencer had finally caught the hang of most of the dances, though he swore he hated the Salsa. At their most recent lesson, the one right before the ordeal out in Colorado, their dance instructor had started to introduce the Swing. Though it was still early, Spencer had seemed to enjoy it, for which Amber was grateful, as she had taken a liking to Swing dancing over the years. Amber had even convinced him to join a country line dance group lesson about a month ago. Though cases sometimes caused him to miss them, he seemed to be enjoying it, and Amber had no trouble convincing Will to be her partner on the nights Spencer couldn't make a lesson.

"Are you sure you're feeling up to it?" Amber asked, looking up at him in concern.

Spencer and Prentiss had both only suffered minor injuries at the hands of Benjamin Cyrus. The doctors at the hospital in Colorado had determined that Spencer's ribs were only bruised. Both agents had been given a couple of days off upon their return, and the bruised ribs had kept Spencer out of the field this past week. The doctor had cleared him for field duty on Thursday, the day before they had flown out here for her mother's wedding. Having bruised her shoulder blade and some ribs herself before, Amber knew how painful they could be, and so hadn't been expecting Spencer to dance with her. She was just glad he could be here with her.

"I'll be fine," Spencer told her.

Placing her hand in his, Amber got to her feet, the fringe of her skirt moving lightly against her bare calf. As she had stood up with her mother during the ceremony, Amber's outfit matched her mother's, except for the color, the blouse and skirt being a dark blue with white fringe.

The two of them made their way out onto the dance floor. Relaxing into one another's arms, the couple swayed slowly to the music. Amber rested her head on Spencer's shoulder as the dance continued, enjoying this time that they had together. Amber was grateful to be able to hold him in her arms when she thought about how close she had come to losing him a few days ago. If he and Morgan had been just a little later coming out of that building . . .

Amber quickly tried to put those thoughts out of her mind. She knew they wouldn't do either of them any good. They both had a dangerous job, that was just the simple fact of it. She had lived with that realization her entire life. First with her father, then for herself, and now with the man that she loved. Worrying didn't do any good. She knew that the best thing she could do was to make every moment that they were together count.

"So, now that your mother's wedding is almost over, can we get back to discussing our own wedding?" Spencer asked, softly.

"Not today, Spencer," Amber replied, trying not to think about how many of her parents' weddings she had gone to over the years and wondering how long it would take before this turned into divorce number seven. The thought that this one might actually work never even crossed her mind.

"Are you having second thoughts about us?"

Amber could hear the slight panic in the words. The fear that he might be losing her again. She raised her head, shifting slightly in his arms so that she could look into his eyes.

"Not about us," she reassured him. "I love you. Love being with you, but being here reminds me of how many marriages and divorces my parents have gone through."

"I told you. We aren't your parents. We can make this work."

"I'm sorry but my belief in those words is wavering today," Amber told him. "Can't we just enjoy the rest of the day without any talk of the future? You have to be at work tomorrow, and who knows where your next case might take you. I just want to enjoy the last half-hour or so we have left before we need to leave to catch our flight."

The two of them had checked out of their hotel this morning, anticipating heading straight for the airport from the reception. The six-fifteen flight from Texas would mean it would be near midnight when they got home, giving Spencer eight hours before he had to be at work. It wasn't the best situation, but with Margaret choosing to be married on a Sunday it was the best they could manage with the limited time they could both get off together. Amber had managed to get leave for Monday, meaning she didn't need to be back at Station Washington until Tuesday.

"I can live with that," Spencer replied, kissing the top of her head, as she rested her head on his shoulder once more. ~_At least for now_, ~ he added silently, unable to shake the feeling of unease that had settled over him.

The two fell silent, both lost in their own thoughts. As the song came to an end, the DJ addressed the group. While the man announced the throwing of the bouquet and attempted to gather all the single women present out on the dance floor, Amber and Spencer headed back for their table.

"Amber, honey, aren't you going the wrong way?" Ginny, Margaret's sister, said as Amber and Spencer passed her table. Amber's aunt nodded toward the dance floor, where Margaret was standing at one end of the floor and female guests were gathering at the other end.

"I'm spoken for this time, Aunt Ginny," Amber replied, holding up her left hand to display the diamond on her finger.

"That's right! Margaret did tell me you had gotten engaged. Is this the lucky man?" Ginny asked, her gaze shifting from Amber to Spencer.

"Yes," Amber said putting her arm around Spencer's shoulders. "Aunt Ginny, this is my fiancee Spencer Reid. Spencer, my mom's older sister, Ginny."

"Nice to meet you, ma'am," Spencer replied.

"Are you in the Coast Guard, too? Amber is so involved in her career, Margaret's always fretting about not ever becoming a grandmother. I've got two grandkids already, myself. They're such a joy."

"I actually work for the FBI, ma'am," Spencer replied.

"Oh, well I guess nobody is perfect," Ginny replied.

"It was good seeing you again, Aunt Ginny," Amber replied, as she gently started pushing Spencer in the direction of their table. "Perhaps we can catch up again before the end of the reception," she added, having no intention of actually doing so. Ginny had a way of turning any conversation into a lecture, something that Amber didn't really want to deal with today. "Right now, I just want to get off my feet."

Amber leaned over and gave her aunt a quick kiss on the cheek before a heading for the table she had been sitting at with two of her cousins. As soon as the meal with over she had retreated from the head table occupied by her mother, new stepfather and her stepfather's friend and his wife, Spencer and herself and had joined Bill, Sheila, and their spouses. Bill's eight-year-old daughter was also at the wedding.

"Did I say something wrong?"Spencer asked as they wove through the tables.

"No. Not really. It's just anything concerning the FBI or the Marines is a bad subject when it comes to both my Mom and her sister for obvious reasons. Just figured I'd spare you the lecture on why you're career choice is wrong," Amber told him.

Spencer nodded as they joined Sheila, her husband, Lou, and Bill's wife Jen at the table.

"Where's Bill?" Amber asked not seeing her cousin.

"Taking pictures," Jen said, waving a hand toward the dance floor. The DJ just about had everyone organized. "Merissa is hoping to catch the bouquet."

"Don't you want another bouquet to add to your collection, Amber?" Sheila said, smiling across the table at her cousin. "The last one you caught was at my wedding wasn't it," she added. She and Lou had gotten married in July the summer before.

"No thanks, I've caught quite enough bouquets in my lifetime. Besides, it either was catch the bouquet at your wedding or get hit in the face by it. I wasn't even with the group trying to catch the bouquet!" Amber replied, getting laughs from Jen and Lou.

"What can I say, I've got bad aim," Sheila replied.

"Yeah, right. You played softball for eight years. You purposely threw the bouquet in my direction."

"Well, it was accurate wasn't it. You've finally got a ring on your finger," Sheila said.

"Maybe I should have thrown you my bouquet," Jen commented.

"I was actually able to hide during the throwing of the bouquet at your wedding, thankfully," Amber said, thinking about Jen and Bill's wedding which occurred the summer before she had gone to Caltech. Reaching out, she picked up her glass of Jack and Coke that she had been drinking before going out to the dance floor with Spencer.

"You know the throwing of the bouquet is a modification of a tradition that dates back to medieval Europe," Reid interjected, getting the attention of everyone at the table. "During that time, the bride didn't expect to wear the dress again and because it considered a type of fertility charm, the single women at the event would chase the bride following the wedding and rip off pieces of the dress. Eventually it became more custom for the bride to keep her dress either for sentimental reasons or to pass onto their daughters and so the bride started throwing other objects as a distraction, the bouquet now being the most commonly used."

"So where exactly did you find this guy?" Lou asked lightly, pointing to Reid but looking at Amber. "I bet he could make a killing on Jeopardy."

"Sorry," Reid commented, realizing that they probably had no interest in the information he had just rattled off.

"Hey, it's cool," Lou said. "I'm only messing with you. I enjoy finding out little trivia information like that."

"Yeah, he studies the Trivia Pursuit cards for exactly that reason," Sheila said, smiling over at her husband.

"You never know when some piece of information that seems trivial might come in handy in the courtroom. The more you know, the less the defense can get by you," Lou responded.

"Spoken like a true prosecutor," Amber commented, remembering Aaron Hotchner saying something similar over one dinner her father, Wendy and she had shared with him and Haley some years back.

The adults' conversation was interrupted by a youthful voice.

"Mommy, look what I caught!" eight-year-old Merissa exclaimed as she ran up to her mother. In her hands was the bouquet.

"That's wonderful honey," Jen told her, as she gave her daughter a hug.

"Hope this doesn't mean I've got to start chasing the boys away," Bill commented, as he followed his daughter toward the table at a normal pace.

The DJ was now addressing the guests again. Calling for the people to get back out on the dance floor.

"Son, you're going to be fighting a losing battle there," a new voice chimed in. An older gentleman, with a full head of silver hair, and black three piece suit walked up behind Bill and rested his hand on the younger man's shoulder. "There are three examples right at this table. Jen's father didn't scare you away, I couldn't scare off Lou, and obviously Amber found some guy brave enough to face her father."

"Well hopefully I can keep them at bay for a little while," Bill replied, sitting down next to his wife and pulling Merissa into his lap.

"So, Amber, do I get a proper introduction to your fiancee or do I have to introduce myself?" the gentleman asked.

"Uncle Bill, this is Dr. Spencer Reid. Spencer, this is my Uncle Bill. Uncle Bill is a judge for the city of San Antonio."

"It's an honor to meet you, sir," Reid said getting to his feet, and holding out a hand to the older gentleman.

Bill Sr. shook the offered hand. "Doctor huh? What field?"

"I actually hold doctorates in chemistry, mathematics and engineering," Reid replied, as Bill Sr. let go of his hand. He automatically put his hands in his pockets.

"Impressive," Bill Sr. commented. "And what do you do, Dr. Reid?"

Remembering Amber's comment about the FBI being a sore topic with her Aunt, Reid wasn't sure how to answer that question. He glanced down at Amber for support.

"Spencer works for the FBI, Uncle Bill. He's actually working in the same unit as my Dad."

"That's right. You did say Dave had rejoined the bureau," the older gentleman replied. Unlike his two sisters, Bill had always gotten along with David Rossi and refused to condemn the man just because he and Margaret's marriage didn't work out. Especially after Margaret's third marriage, when Bill started to realize that the blame couldn't possibly rest entirely on the men in his youngest sister's life. "So what's it like working with your future father-in-law?"

"It's okay. I have a lot of respect for Agent Rossi."

"That's good. It's always good to get along with your family. Right Lou?"

"Yes, sir."

Right then the first strands of the electric slide filled the room.

"Grandpa, dance with me?" Merissa asked, grabbing her grandfather's hand

"Lead the way, Princess," Bill Sr. replied. "Nice meeting you, Dr. Reid. Perhaps we will get a chance to talk later."

"Nice meeting you, sir."

As Reid sat down again, Jen and Sheila were getting to their feet, ready to drag their husbands out to the dance floor.

"You two going to join us?" Sheila asked.

"Not this time," Amber replied, although she did enjoy this particular dance and although she had been trying to teach it to Spencer, she knew he wouldn't be up for it today.

With a shrug the four of them headed toward the dance floor.

"You could have joined them," Spencer told her.

"I'd rather stay here with you," she told him, reaching out and taking his hand.

"I don't think I'm ever going to learn what is a safe topic with which members of your family and what isn't," Spencer commented. "On either side of your family for that matter," he added thinking of a wedding for one of David Rossi's nieces that Spencer had gone to with Amber about a month ago.

"Family politics at its finest," Amber commented, with a smile. "If you can navigate through one of my family functions without wanting to throw something through the closest window, then it's a good day. Especially on this side of the family."

The ringing of Spencer's cell phone could just barely be heard over the music filling the room. Taking the phone out of his pocket, Spencer looked down at the screen to see Hotch's name and number appear.

"It's Hotch. I guess, I should take the call," Spencer said, dreading what a call from his unit chief would mean.

Amber nodded, as Spencer got to his feet. She watched him head for the closest exit, the phone already up to his ear as he walked. Desperately, she hoped that Spencer wasn't getting called away right away, but knew that it was a possibility. Amber also knew, that if that was what the phone call was about, that she wouldn't make it any harder on Spencer than it already was. It wasn't like he wanted to leave her. To not spend the last evening of their shared time off with her. However, if the team needed him, she knew that her fiancee's sense of duty wouldn't allow him to say no. Nor would she want it any other way.

Her days in the Coast Guard had taught Amber the meaning of duty and loyalty. How many times had she given up her time off because her comrades had needed her? That was just the nature of the job. There were really no such things as days off or holidays when you were a member of the Coast Guard or one of the other service branches. Amber knew that was how Spencer and his teammates felt too. Like her own father, the members of the BAU took their jobs seriously. If she got a call from her superiors saying that they needed her, Amber knew she would go. She would feel compelled to. How could she ask Spencer to feel otherwise?

It hadn't taken her long to see how much of a family the members of Spencer's team were, just like her flight crew in Kodiak had been. A family that had welcomed her into their numbers with open arms. JJ, Emily, Penelope and Morgan weren't just Spencer's friends, they were her friends too. And she saw how good they were for Spencer. How much they all cared about one another. They were the type of people that she knew Spencer needed in his life. The type of people that didn't come along that often. Friends that would be there no matter what directions their lives took them, just like she still kept in touch with Maria and Vince.

Spencer had told her that he would give up his job with the BAU to stay with her when her next transfer came through. She didn't doubt that he would. Spencer had never made her a promise that he didn't keep. What she was starting to ask herself though was if she wanted him to make that sacrifice for her. If he was willing to walk away from his job for her, shouldn't she be willing to do likewise? Not to mention, that at this point she would be walking away from a career only. Though she got along with her new co-workers at Station Washington, they weren't close knit. At least not in the way the flight crew she had left behind in Kodiak had been. Amber knew she had already left her work family when she left Alaska. Was it right to ask Spencer to walk away from his family? Away from the only real support he had in his life beside herself? Her current contract with the Coast Guard ended at the end of October and Amber found herself wondering whether she wanted to re-sign or not.

Her cousins found their way back to the table, bringing Amber out of her thoughts.

"Where did Spencer get to? Dad didn't scare him away did he?" Bill asked as he held the chair out for his wife.

"No. He got a phone call," Amber replied. "If you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to go see what is keeping him," she told her cousins, getting to her feet. She didn't want her cousins to be an audience when Spencer informed her what the phone call was about.

Weaving her way through the rest of the tables and wedding guests, she soon reached the door Spencer had walked out moments ago. Pushing the door open she stepped out into the Texas heat, raising a hand to shield her eyes from the sun. As she spotted Spencer, he was just putting his phone away.

"Do you need to leave?" Amber asked.

Spencer shook his head. "They don't need me until tomorrow. Hotch called, because he doesn't want me flying back. The next case is in Bryan, Texas, so I'll drive up and meet up with them tomorrow. Agents from the Houston field office are going to drop an SUV off at the hotel for me later this evening."

"I guess that means you'll need to get a room for tonight?"

"JJ is already arranging it."

"Of course she is," Amber said with a smile.

"She's also cancelling both of our plane tickets for tonight and getting you on a flight to D.C. in the morning," Spencer added, his voice revealing his hesitancy. "I hope you don't mind. Hotch asked if you would want to stay here the extra night and I didn't want to have to call him back after coming back in to talk to you, so I just told him to tell JJ to switch the ticket. I mean you don't have to go back to work until Tuesday so . . ."

His words trailed off into silence as Amber placed her hand over his mouth. "Spencer, it's fine," she told him. "If you had asked, I would have told you to have her switch the ticket. Do you really think I would pass up the chance to stay with you tonight?"

Spencer shook his head in response. "Well no, but I didn't want you to think . . ."

Spencer didn't get any further as his words were cut off by Amber's lips meeting his own. Not protesting the action, Spencer put his arms around her, returning the kiss, the words he had meant to say going right out of his head.

"Let's not tell anyone here the change in plans," Amber said, as the kiss came to an end. She looked up at him without stepping out of his arms. "If they know I'm not getting on a plane, they're going to expect me to stay until the end of this thing and I'm about ready to leave."

"It's your mother's wedding," Spencer said, having expected Amber to want to stay at the reception longer with the change of plans.

"Correction, my mother's fifth wedding. Not to mention, I've been alive for four of them and remember three of them. Who knows, we may be doing this again in a couple of years," Amber told him, taking another step back from him. "Come on, let's go be sociable for the next," she glanced down at the watch she was wearing, "twenty minutes. Maybe share another dance."

"Lead the way," Spencer replied, as he took her extended hand. The two walked back into the building hand in hand.

As they walked into the building, a slow song was playing so instead of heading back to the table, the two of them headed out to the dance floor. When one song came to an end, Spencer felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning slowly he found Bill and Jen standing there.

"Mind if we switch partners. I'd like a dance with my cousin before she leaves and Jen doesn't bite, I promise," Bill said, earning him a playful swat from his wife.

"No problem," Spencer replied, graciously switching dance partners for the one dance.

Meanwhile, Bill took the opportunity of the dance to talk to his cousin privately for the first time that day.

"When your mother told me you had gotten engaged, I was surprised. You used to swear at family weddings that it was never going to be you standing up front and exchanging vows."

"Well, we're all entitled to change our minds. It is a free country after all," Amber said with a laugh.

"And Spencer is so not the type of guy I thought you would fall for. I always saw you falling for a guy in uniform, who lived and breathed the military life style, but Spencer seems like a great guy in a high school geek sort of way."

"Bill!" Amber scolded.

"I'm sorry. He just reminds me of the brainy kid my friends and I always made fun of in high school. Of course he was the valedictorian, went to Yale and is now running his own corporation so maybe we should have been nicer to him," Bill told her. "Seriously though, from what I've seen, the guy puts you first, and that's exactly how it should be. I hope you two will be as happy and Jen and I are."

"Thanks, Billy," Amber said, with a smile. She had always been close to Bill, the two of them sharing the same birthday even though Bill was three years older than her.

As the song came to an end, the DJ announced the cutting of the cake. Meeting back up with Spencer, the two of them headed toward the table with the cake on it, to watch the little ceremony take place. The crowd booed teasingly when the bride and groom fed each other the cake in a civilized manner. While the cake was being cut and distributed, Amber took the opportunity to say good-bye to her mother and stepfather, saying that she and Reid really should be going. After saying good-bye to a few more relatives, Amber and Spencer both carrying a piece of cake wrapped up on a plate headed outside once again, and to their waiting rental.


	5. Facing Past Demons

AN: Sorry for the lack of updates with this story. I've had serious writer's block which I managed to finally get past the brick wall that was barring my way. So, as a way to celebrate, here is chapter 4! Thanks for your patience!

* * *

><p>Spencer Reid awoke before the hotel alarm clock went off. Turning his head, he saw that it was six-thirty. The alarm was set for quarter to seven, time enough for both him and Amber to be up and ready to leave the hotel at eight o'clock, when he would head to Bryan, Texas and she would head to the airport for her ten-thirty flight back to D.C.<p>

The morning light peaked around the edges of the drawn curtain, casting a dim light in the room. Turning his head again, Spencer looked the other direction. Curled up next to him, her head resting on his shoulder, Amber still slept. Sometimes he still found it hard to believe that she was now a part of his life. That he woke up beside her every morning that a case didn't take him out of town. That no matter where the two of them happened to be, they always managed to find a few minutes to say a goodnight to each other, even if it was only a phone call.

When he thought about the changes that had taken place in his life in the last year and a half, it seemed unreal. There were points during the time that Hankle had held him captive that he had thought he was going to die. Times during and after that ordeal that he wished he had been dead. The dark months following that case in Georgia during which he had felt so lost. That he had sought the escape that only Dilaudid could bring. Followed by his struggles to overcome that addiction. He was coming up on fourteen months clean soon. Fourteen months, and he was finally able to begin to think that perhaps there would be an end to that chapter of his life. A point where it would be part of his past and not something that affected the present.

"What time is it?" a sleepy voice asked, bringing him out of his thoughts.

"Almost time to get up," he told her.

"Have you been awake long?"

"Not really," Spencer replied. "I've just been watching you sleep."

"Sounds kind of boring."

"Watching you do anything is never boring," he told her, kissing the top of her head. "I guess I should probably get up and start getting ready," he added with a sigh, as he eased his arm out from underneath her head. He climbed out from under the blankets, turning off the alarm that had yet to go off, as he got up from the bed, the air-conditioned air feeling cool on his bare skin.

"Wake me up when you're done with your shower," Amber replied, getting her head comfortable on a pillow, her eyes not quite open yet.

As his fiancee stole a few more minutes of sleep, Spencer headed for the bathroom. Hotch had said the team was getting an early start this morning, the planned departure time planned for seven a.m. With his three-hour drive up to Bryan, the team should only arrive at their destination slightly before he arrived. He would then finally get to hear what the case was about, Hotch having refused to give him any details over the phone, telling him to enjoy the last bit of his time off.

Stepping into the hot stream of water, Spencer wondered if he should bring up the subject of setting a date for the wedding again before they went their separate ways. They had been close to setting it at one point, back before Amber's mother had announced her own engagement. Since then, he hadn't been able to get Amber to discuss the subject of their wedding. There were times when he wondered if she was having second thoughts about going through with it. Wondered if she had doubts about taking that final step of commitment. Times if he wondered if he shouldn't just back off and simply enjoy what they had. They were already living together. They were sharing every possible part of their lives together that they could. What different did a piece of paper saying that they were married really make? And yet he couldn't deny that to him, that final piece did matter.

By the time he had finished the shower, Spencer had come to the decision that he wasn't going to ruin this last hour that they had together by bringing up a wedding date. There would be plenty of time when he got back to D.C. to try getting Amber to talk about it. He had been patient this long. There was no reason to ruin things by pushing too hard.

After getting dressed he went back out and woke Amber up. While she was taking her shower, Spencer packed up the few things that they had taken out for their extra night at the hotel. It wasn't long before the two of them were leaving the hotel room and heading downstairs. While Amber headed to the front desk to check them out, Spencer, with the keys of both vehicles in hand, headed outside with the bags. As the rental car they'd had during their stay was closer, the FBI agent put his fiancee's bag into her vehicle first.

With the one bag he was keeping with him, and his messenger bag, Spencer continued to the black SUV the two agents from the Houston field office had driven down to him the evening before. He placed the bag with his clothes into the back of the vehicle, put his messenger bag on the floorboard of the passenger side before heading back into the hotel. Amber was just walking away from the desk, as he walked into the lobby of the hotel.

"We're set," Amber said, as she approached him. She took the set of keys that Spencer was holding out to her. "Let's go grab breakfast as I can't stand airport food," she added, as she slipped her hand into one of Spencer's.

A half-hour, and a quick breakfast later, Reid had said good-bye to Amber and was on the road. He was headed north toward Bryan, and his mind was speculating about the case he didn't know about, wishing that Hotch had given him the details of it. Though part of him was glad that his supervisor hadn't, knowing that he would have been thinking about the case the whole night instead of enjoying the time he had left with Amber. Somehow, he didn't think the night would have been quite so pleasurable if his mind had been partly on the case instead of on the situation at hand.

Reid considered putting a call into someone on the team. Get a heads up onto what he was getting into. Most of the team would be on the jet at this time, possibly still discussing the case. Making plans for when they landed in Texas. A phone call from him could be just an interruption at this point. Hotch had said they would bring him up to date on the case when he joined them. His other option was to call Garcia and get some information from her. The young FBI agent was still debating on whether to call the teams technical analyst when his cell phone rang. Leaving only one hand on the wheel, Reid reached up and touched the earpiece he was wearing, answering the call.

"Agent Reid, here," he replied, keeping it professional as he wasn't sure who it was that was calling.

"Oh, well that's a boring greeting," came Garcia's singsong voice through the earpiece. "Something I would expect from Hotch and not my sweet young Doctor."

"I'm driving Garcia, I couldn't exactly see who was calling," Reid told her.

"And would the greeting have been a little more seductive if you had known who was going to be on the other end?" Garcia asked, dropping the tone of her voice to make it sound a bit huskier.

"Only if it had been Amber," Reid replied, without missing a beat.

Garcia laughed. "Fair enough. I'll let Annie Oakley know that you passed that little test," the tech told him causing Reid to smile.

"So, did you call just to harass me, or was there another reason?" Reid asked her.

"I'm wounded by those words, Doctor," Garcia replied lightly, not sounded at all offended. "But as you asked, Hotch wanted me to call and make sure you were on the road and check on your ETA."

"I got on the road at eight as planned this morning, so I should be in Bryan right around eleven as discussed."

"Great, I'll let the Boss Man know. I'll also inform Morgan that he owes me five dollars as his money was on you having not left the hotel yet, due to you and Amber being involved in some extracurricular activities, if you know what I mean."

Reid shook his head. It sounded entirely like Morgan and Garcia to bet on something like that, and it sounded exactly like Morgan to give that as a reason for him to be late leaving. Reid could even see the huge grin Morgan would have on his face as he said the words. Despite the fact that no one was in the car with him, Reid still found himself blushing in embarrassment at the tech's words.

"I don't need to see you to know how red your face is right now, Doctor," the tech said, the amusement she was feeling being conveyed in her voice.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Reid managed to get out, though his mouth suddenly felt awfully dry.

"Sure you don't. I wish I could get a picture of you right about now especially as though he might have been off on the timing, I'm sure Morgan was dead on with how you two love birds spent last night."

"Garcia, is there anything else job related that you need to discuss with me?" Reid asked, trying to change the subject. There was no reason to try to convince the systems analyst that she was wrong, as the blonde knew with relative certainty that she was right and she was. That still didn't mean he needed to reveal to her the details of how he and his fiancee had spent last night.

"Oh, you are so no fun," Garcia replied, in a disappointed tone.

Reid could see the analyst's disappointed face in his head. He could also imagine how much more amused she would be if they actually were in the same room together. He wasn't about to give out details of her though. There were some things that should remain private, even between the close-knit family group his co-workers had become.

~_Perhaps things like this should be private just for that reason, _~ Reid found himself considering. He knew he wouldn't want to discuss the night he had spent with Amber the night before in front of Agent Rossi any more than Morgan would discuss one of the nights he spent with whatever girl he had managed to bring home from the bar with one of his sisters. ~_There are some topics that even families shouldn't discuss and my love life is one of them, ~ _Reid concluded.

Disappointed though she was, Garcia did not press the issue. Even over the phone, the blonde analyst could tell that the genius was getting to the limit of the amount of teasing he would tolerate even from his friends.

"So, I'll let Hotch know you're on time and will meet them at the station around eleven," Garcia said. "He'll be happy to hear that as our Boss Man wanted to hit the ground running on this one."

"Why? What's going on out here Garcia?"

"Sorry, I'm under orders not to tell you details. Hotch doesn't want you to get too distracted thinking about the case while you're driving."

"You guys are never going to let that go are you!" Reid exclaimed. "It was one time and I was pondering a riddle, not a case. It's JJ's fault really."

"Oh, and how do you figure that?"

"She's the one that asked me to figure out the riddle."

"But you were the one that got the SUV stuck in the field," Garcia pointed out. "Those poor cows were probably close to having a heart attack."

"The cows were no where near the road at the time nor did I even touch the fence," Reid said defensively.

"So you say. However, that isn't always the version that gets told my dear Doctor."

"Now why doesn't that surprise me," Reid responded.

Garcia laughed. "Well you have fun on your drive through the Lone Star State. I'm sure we'll chat again at some point today," the technical analyst told him.

"Bye, Garcia," Reid said before reaching up to disconnect the call.

He drove in silence for a while and then, tired of hearing the sound of the wheels on the pavement below the SUV he reached out and turned on the radio. After switching through some radio stations he finally settled on one of the myriad of country stations.

~_Welcome to Texas_, ~ he thought as the sad lyrics of Jason Michael Carroll's song, "_Alyssa Lies_," filled the air.

* * *

><p>After two wrong turns within the city limits of Bryan, Reid was finally able to find the police station he was to meet the team at. He found a parking spot for the government-owned SUV and grabbing his messenger bag, opened the door. The wave of heat hit him as he stepped out of the air-conditioned vehicle. At ninety-four degrees the temperature was below the average high for this time of year but there still seemed to be a low number of people outside in a city of about 76,000 residents.<p>

Stuffing keys and hands into his pockets, Reid walked purposefully toward the station entrance. He took the steps two at a time, anxious to get inside and meet with the rest of the team so he could find out what was going on. Entering the station, he paused just inside the entrance and looked around trying to get his bearings.

"Can I help, ya?" an officer walking by asked him with a heavy Texas draw.

"I'm Agent Spencer Reid with the Behavioral Analysis Unit." Reid said. Before he could get any further, the officer nodded and spoke.

"Right, your team is in the conference room over there," the officer told him, pointing in the direction of the room. Through the window Reid could see Hotch, JJ, and Rossi.

"Thanks," Reid responded as the officer walked away. Reid headed in the direction of the conference room.

As Reid approached the room, he made eye contact with Rossi, who was the only one in the room facing him. Reaching the door, Spencer pushed it open and began to step into the room. Rossi had now picked up a file from the table and was starting to walk around the table.

"I'm going to take Reid with me," Rossi said, causing Hotch to look up.

"Good you made it," the unit chief said, addressing Reid. "I was about to call you."

"I took a wrong turn," Reid replied, having paused in the doorway.

"You two go ahead. Dave, you can bring him up to speed on the case on the way."

"I planned on it," Rossi said, holding up the file he had grabbed. "Let's go, Son" he said to Reid pausing as he reached the door, to give the younger profiler time to turn around. Leaving the room, Rossi fell in step beside Reid, placing his hand on Reid's shoulder as he did so. "Did you enjoy your time in Freeport?"

"It was nice being with Amber and neither of our jobs getting in the way," Reid replied. "I'm ready to get back to work though."

"Good to hear," Rossi replied. "I hope you're ready to hit the ground running though, because we're racing against a clock on this one."

"I sure hope you don't mean that literally because I'm still kind of sore if I move too fast," Reid replied, his hand unconsciously going to his sore right ribs briefly.

With his keen eyes, the movement was not lost on Rossi. "Well, you shouldn't have to do any running during this task," Rossi said grimly, wondering if he should have let Reid stay at the station. Though the doctor had cleared both him and Prentiss for field work, they were both recovering from their ordeal in Colorado. He had seen that with Prentiss, the female agent moving more slowly than normal though she was trying not to let on, and now could see the same thing with Reid.

However, with Prentiss and Morgan already checking out the home of yesterday evening's abduction, and Hotch wanting to get things organized at the station it had left Rossi and JJ available to go to where the second victim's body had been discovered while they were en route here. Rossi had been bracing himself for an argument with the unit chief on the point. Not only did Rossi not like the idea of JJ being out in the Texas heat in her current condition, a sentiment that he knew would draw the ire of the feisty blonde media liaison, but he also didn't think this was a crime scene she needed to see. ~_Lord knows I'm not looking forward to it_, ~ he thought as he pushed opened the door to the station and held it for Reid.

"Keys," Rossi requested, holding out his hand for the said objects.

Without hesitation, Reid reached into his pocket and turned over the keys to the SUV he had driven up from Freeport, even as he started leading the older profiler in the direction of where he had parked the vehicle. As Rossi took the keys he handed Reid the folder he had grabbed on the way out of the conference room.

"Case details are in there," Rossi told him. " Thirteen-year-old, Abigail Sanchez went missing three days ago. Her body was found two days ago eight hours after twelve-year-old Lisa White went missing. Metro police still thought they could handle it up until another twelve-year-old girl Fawn Maddison went missing yesterday afternoon, which is when we finally got the call," Rossi informed him, as the two reached the SUV. Rossi unlocked it and the two federal agents climbed in.

Reid slipped his messenger bag up over his head, and placed it on the floor at his feet. He was already looking at the file as he pulled his seatbelt on and Rossi started up the vehicle.

"Some joggers found Lisa White's body this morning right before we landed, which is where we're headed," Rossi continued as he pulled the SUV out of the parking space and into the city streets.

Reid looked up from the file and over at the older profiler. There was something about the tone of Rossi's voice that had caught the younger man's interest. By the tone the words were spoken in, the usually unflappable Agent Rossi seemed to be taking this case more personally then most. Nothing in his expression revealed anything else and Reid went back to reading the case file.

~_We all have certain cases that affect us more than others_, ~ Reid thought as he started reading the ME's report on the first victim. As he read, Reid started to understand Rossi's mood a little bit better.

According to the ME, Abigail Sanchez had been raped and sexually abused before the Unsub had finally suffocated her. Reid felt a shiver go up his spine, and felt slightly sick. It was bad enough to think of adults having suffered this kind of treatment but when it was a young girl it just made it that much worse to think about.

"I expect we'll find the second body in the same condition as the first," Rossi commented, a tinge of anger in his voice.

Reid didn't say anything. He understood the older agent's anger and why this case was affecting him more than most. These second two victims were the same age as Amber had been when . . .

Reid stopped himself from finishing that thought. He couldn't think like that and still be able to work this case. The young doctor found himself wondering if his future father-in-law should be working the case, but knew he wasn't about to be the one to suggest that he shouldn't be.

As if he could read Reid's mind Rossi spoke up. "Hotch and I have already discussed me not working this case and as you can see, I'm here, so I wouldn't bother wasting your breath."

"I wasn't planning on it," Reid replied, not daring to look up from the file he was going through.

Other than occasional brief discussion following a question Reid had as he went through the case file, the rest of the drive out to Lake Bryan was quiet. Once they reached the recreational area, Rossi followed the directions giving by the local police to get to the crime scene. It wasn't hard to tell when they got there due to all the flashing lights and the media which had already gathered.

Rossi had to park the vehicle some distance from the crime scene itself. As he got out of the SUV, Reid tucked the file into his bag and slowly slipped the strap back over his head. The two FBI agents started toward the area cordoned off by the yellow crime scene tape at a purposeful but moderate pace. As they neared the media gathered around the crime scene tape, Rossi dropped back a little and got behind Reid.

"Let me do the talking, just look straight ahead and keep walking. Have your badge out so the police don't try to stop us. We want to get past this crowd as quickly as possible," Rossi told the younger agent quietly.

Reid's reply was a quick nod as he did as the older agent told him and retrieved his badge from his bag. They had almost reached the edge of where the media and other onlookers were gathered, before anyone noticed them. Suddenly, instead of trying to catch a glimpse of what was going on behind the crime scene, the reporters' attention diverted to the two approaching FBI agents. As the reporters started calling out questions, camera personnel swung their equipment two focus on Rossi and Reid.

"Excuse me sirs, are you with the FBI?" a female reporter called out, her voice a little louder than some of the others.

"We are," Rossi replied crisply as he followed behind Reid.

"Why weren't you here before the second body showed up?" a male reporter, in the front of the crowd asked. He stuck his microphone in Rossi's face and the federal agent noticed the call letters of the news station that the reporter was working for -KMAY 23.

"The FBI became involved in the case as soon as the local authorities requested our help."

"Shouldn't they have requested help as soon as the first body was found?" another reporter, whom Rossi couldn't distinguish in the crowd, shouted out.

"As we have just been brought on this case, I cannot answer that question," Rossi replied knowing that he had to be careful not to lower public opinion of the local law enforcement personnel any more than any of the recent events already had. "What I can tell you, is that now that we are here we intend to aid and support the local police in any way possible in order to find the perpetrator of this crime."

"There have been reports of a third girl going missing," the same female reporter that had first caught Rossi's attention ventured. "Can you confirm those reports?"

"As I said before, we have just arrived and I cannot provide you with any specifics of the case at this time. Our media liaison will announce when she will address the media with a press conference as soon as we have something to report," Rossi replied, making a mental note to call Hotch as soon as he was away from this media circus, and inform him that JJ should probably address the media sooner rather than later. The blonde was much more adept at talking with the media without really saying anything than he was.

Rossi and Reid had reached the crime scene tape by this time. With only a quick glance at Reid's badge, the Bryan police officers that were standing watch at the barrier lifted the yellow tape to allow the two FBI agents to duck under. They hadn't gone far from the barrier when they saw a tall, skinny, man with greying hair walking toward them. He was wearing a blue short-sleeved dress shirt, tan slacks and black cowboy boots, his badge worn like a bolo around his neck, and a black Stetson perched on his head.

"I'm Detective Frank Pritchard. I'm glad you could make it though I'm starting to wish I had called you in earlier. I really didn't think it would get this out of hand," the detective said, the anguish clear in his voice, as he held out his hand to the agents.

Rossi stepped forward and took the detective hand. "It's always easier to make decisions after we know the outcome," he told the detective, not condemning the man's actions but not able to honestly disagree with his sentiments. ~_If we had been called in sooner, we might already have this scumbag in custody_, ~ Rossi thought. "I'm Agent Rossi and this is SSA Dr. Spencer Reid. The rest of our team is back at the station getting set up," he added as Pritchard shook hands quickly with Reid.

"Well, let's get this over with," Pritchard told them. "Putting it off isn't going to make things any easier," he said as he turned and headed back in the direction he had come. "Crime Scene Team is already processing the site, and some deputies are still taking full statements from the joggers that found the body," he replied waving his hand off to his left.

Looking that way, Rossi could see two young women standing with two uniforms cops. ~_This certainly wasn't what they expected to find when they went out jogging this morning_, ~ the federal agent thought as he followed Pritchard along the dirt path.

"The two college students were jogging along this path, when they spotted the body," the Bryan detective continued as they made their way toward the area where about five people all wearing shirts with CSU in yellow letters across the back, moved around the area in well practiced chaos. "Though the body had been dumped in some low lying brush along the trail, you can't really say the guy took the time to try hiding the body and it's right off the trail."

"It means that the UnSub didn't care when or if the body was discovered, which means he probably has no personal connection to the girls," Reid commented.

"Have you gotten the results from the DNA search from the first victim?" Rossi asked.

"Yeah, the results came back yesterday. There was no match in the state database."

"We'll have our tech run it through our system," Rossi stated. "Might hit on someone out of state."

Pritchard nodded as they came up behind one of the crime scene techs who was squatting on the ground snapping pictures. "Body hasn't been moved. It's lying exactly how the joggers found it.

Saying that the body had been dumped was an accurate description of its position. It was clear to the profilers that no effort to position or stage the body had been taken. The UnSub had apparently reached a spot that had looked like a good place to get rid of his burden and had dropped the body, leaving it lay exactly how it had landed on the dry ground. Strands of brown hair lay across her face. Arms and legs lay at strange angles, and Reid noted that the way one leg was bent underneath of her would be very uncomfortable if the girl was still alive.

"Excuse me," Rossi said suddenly.

Reid turned to see the older agent walking away from the body. The young genius noted that he headed in a direction that took him not only away from the personnel working the scene but also further away from the media.

"Is he okay?" Pritchard questioned, having also turned to watch the other federal agent walk away. "I would have figured you guys would be used to seeing scenes like this."

"Some scenes are easier to stomach than others," Reid replied, turning back to the body as Rossi reached a tree and leaned one arm up against it. He figured he would give the older agent some time to collect himself before he went to check on him.

As the crime scene tech stood up, Reid took a couple of steps forward and knelt down next to the body, looking for any clues it might possibly reveal.


	6. Recalling The Past

**AN: The content of this chapter is a bit more mature than a lot of the rest of the story due to the flashbacks, but as there is nothing graphic I don't think it warrants changing the rating of the story. For those of you who said in "Careless Man's Careful Daughter" that you wanted to know more about Amber's past revolving around the issue of her rape - here it is.**

* * *

><p>The sight of the body had immediately made David Rossi's stomach turn. It wasn't so much the sight of it, as heaven knew he had seen bodies in worse condition than that young girl's had been left in, but the memories the sight had brought to the surface. With the memories came the feelings that even now, sixteen years later, he still hadn't gotten over.<p>

Reaching a tree some distance from everyone else, Rossi leaned his left forearm on the trunk. Leaning forward slightly, he gave in to the battle to keep the contents of his stomach down. For the first time since his first crime scene right out of the FBI Academy, the veteran agent threw up at a crime scene, even as more memories played through his head.

/ / /

_David Rossi had just walked into his hotel room in some small town in Nebraska when his pager went off. They had solved the case and the UnSub was currently spending the night in a jail cell. Matters were back in the hands of the local police and Rossi planned on getting a decent night's sleep before he caught a plane back to D.C. in the morning. Checking the number he saw that it was Wendy who had paged him. He had been planning on calling his wife as soon as he got into his room and was surprised by the page. Wendy always waited for him to call her when he was away on business, which he tried to do every night. The last time he had gotten a page from her was when her mother had taken ill and she wanted to let him know she was going to be with her. _

_Immediately worried, Dave crossed over to the bed, and sitting on the edge picked up the phone on the night stand. He quickly dialed his home number and waited for the call to be picked up._

"_Hello," came Wendy's familiar voice after three rings._

"_Wendy, I got your page. Is something wrong?" Dave asked, too worried to even return her greeting._

_He heard a sigh on the other end of the line before Wendy spoke again. "Dave, this isn't really news I want to give over the phone but waiting for you to come back home will only waste time," she told him._

_Dave suddenly thought it was probably a good thing he was already sitting down. _

"_I got a call from Amber a little while ago," Wendy continued. "I could tell something was wrong the moment I picked up the phone as she was crying. She said that Ralph had raped her."_

"_Ralph? As in Marge's husband Ralph?" Rossi questioned, finally getting a chance to speak again. It wasn't that he really thought it could be anyone else, but given the anger rising up within him he wanted to hear that confirmation. He wanted to get his bare hands around this guy's neck and if he was going to do something that extreme he wanted to know without a doubt he had the right guy. This was his little girl. If someone thought . . ._

"_Yes," Wendy was answering. "I told her to leave the house and go over to the Chaulk's residence. I didn't want to take a risk of anything else happening. Once I got off the phone with Amber, I called them and explained the situation. I just got off the phone with them. Mr. Chaulk is calling the local police."_

"_Good. At least she's out of immediate danger," Dave had replied. "I'm going to head there on the first flight I can get. I'll call you when . . ."_

"_You won't have to worry about calling," Wendy said to interrupt him. "I'll meet you out there."_

"_You don't have t . . ."_

"_I want to, Dave. This is your daughter we're talking about. She's important to me just because of that, not to mention she's a sweet girl. It'll probably take me longer to get out there. I'll call the Chaulks when I get out there."_

"_Okay. Thanks Wendy," Rossi replied, knowing those words weren't nearly enough to express the appreciation he was feeling right then. That he always felt when he saw his current wife interact with his daughter from his first marriage. Whenever Amber was with them, Wendy went out of her way to not only be a friend to the young girl, but a mother figure as well. He knew she loved Amber as much as he did. "I love you."_

"_I know. I love you too, and I love Amber which is why I think when we come back we need to bring her with us. She's been saying she wants to come live with us. I think we should let her if she still wants to come."_

_As much as he wanted his daughter on the east coast with him, he also knew the reality of it would be that Wendy would often find herself alone at home with his daughter while he was away on a case. He wasn't sure that was fair to either of them. At the same time, given what had just happened, he wasn't sure that Texas was where Amber should be right now. Margaret obviously couldn't protect their daughter. Could he in good conscience leave her with her mother now? Was she really better off with him though when he knew he wouldn't be around as much as a father should? After he had put off her requests to come live with him and Wendy over the past month or so, would Amber want to come now?_

"_We'll talk in Texas," Rossi told her, knowing that he and Wendy had to seriously discuss matters and that doing so over the phone under the current circumstances was not the way to be doing that. "I'll see you soon."_

_The first thing he did upon hanging up with his wife, was to call the airport to find the earliest flight to Texas. Though he would be cutting it close trying to make the first flight out, he told the woman on the phone that he would take the ticket. Somehow he would make it to the airport in time. Then, despite being pressed for time, he dug out his wallet, found the Chaulk's phone number that he kept with him, and dialed it. He had to talk to someone out there. Had to check on Amber himself, and let her know he was coming._

_The numbers on the phone blurred as he pressed the numbers. Blinking away tears, he placed the call._

_/ / /  
><em>

SSA David Rossi straightened up. He closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. _~This is not how a federal agent should be acting. I need to get a grip. Pull myself together before I prove Hotch right that I really shouldn't be working this case.~_

After a few more moments, Rossi felt more in control though he definitely wouldn't say he felt better. His stomach was still doing somersaults though the feeling of getting sick had passed. Feeling well enough to rejoin his teammate, Rossi turned and headed back toward the body.

Reid was on kneeling on the ground, leaning close to the body as he examined it.

"Cause of death was asphyxiation for the first victim. Assuming that is the same case with this body, no bruising on the neck suggests that the lack of oxygen wasn't caused by constriction of the airway," Reid was saying. Hearing the approaching footsteps coming to a stop behind him, he cast a glance quickly over his shoulder as he continued. "It was probably achieved by holding something over her face, which tends to take longer than strangulation. My guess is that wherever he's keeping these girls is secluded and he doesn't feel rushed."

"He's killed two girls in within the last seventy-two hours. How is that not rushed?" Pritchard questioned, his tone saying that not only didn't he agree with the federal agent's assessment, but that he also thought Reid was somewhere out in left field.

"I said that he doesn't feel rushed," Reid replied, looking at the local detective. "He's taking enough time to do what he wants with these girls, but then once he does that, then they're of no use to him anymore. He kills them and moves onto his next victim. The fact that he abducts the next girl either right before or soon after killing the previous victim tells us that he's more of an opportunistic kidnapper. He's not taking the time to plan these abductions out. Most likely, once he sees a girl that fits his preferences, in this case brunettes of around the age of thirteen, he acts."

"So you're saying there is no way to predict where this guy is going to strike next. That once he gets done with his current victim he's just going to grab the next kid that suits his fancy."

"Ah, the next brunette would be more accurate," Reid commented. As he was back to examining the body, he didn't see the look that Detective Pritchard shot him in response to the correction.

Rossi, however, did notice and hoping to diffuse the situation, spoke up. "Though the UnSub doesn't plan his abduction out beforehand, he probably still operates within a comfort zone, which will narrow his pool of subjects."

"With the three abductions and now the two dump sites we have enough data points that a geographical profile should be possible," Reid commented, standing up and turning to face Rossi.

Rossi felt the younger agent's keen gaze fall on him and knew Reid was now making an assessment of him. ~_Maybe bringing him with me wasn't such a good idea? Besides Hotch, Reid is probably the only one who knows about what happened back then. Hotch only knows the bare facts. I never told him details of what had happened. The arguments that had followed. The time all of them had spent in counseling both individual and as a family_, ~ he thought, thinking at how he had considered the three of them - Wendy, Amber and himself - as a family for those three years that Amber had been with them. ~_How much did Amber tell him? What exactly does the kid know? ~_

More of a way of getting away from Reid's scrutiny than actually thinking he would find something useful, Rossi walked away from the body, his eyes on the ground searching for any clues the earth might want to reveal.

They were halfway back to the station before Reid found the courage to speak up.

"You know it's not too late to sit this case out. It might be for the best," Reid ventured hesitantly not risking a glance to his left and instead keeping his eyes focused on the road in front of them.

"Do you think I can't handle this case?" Dave questioned. Though his voice was even there was an edge to it - one that was not lost on Reid. "You've got what six years in the bureau? I've been an agent since right about the time you were born. Served in the marines for four years before that. I hardly think you're qualified to decide what I can and can't handle."

Reid didn't respond, knowing that Rossi felt he had stepped over the line with the comment. He waited a few moments before speaking again.

"She doesn't blame you any more you know," Reid said softly.

Rossi glanced quickly at Reid before returning his gaze to the road. Those words told him that Reid knew quite a bit about what had gone on sixteen years ago. They also made him realize that it wasn't his professional ability that Reid was questioning when he suggested that he sit the case out but concern about his emotional well-being.

There had been a time that Amber had partly blamed him for what happened. That time had been back at the beginning.

/ / /

_The first thing Agent David Rossi had done when the plane touched down at the airport was to find a pay phone. A quick call to the Chaulk residence and a conversation with Frank Chaulk had told him that Amber was still at Brazosport Memorial Hospital with his wife. Ralph had been picked up by the local police and was in jail. Margaret was at the hospital, but from what Rita had told her husband, Amber was refusing to see her mother. Rossi had told Frank that he planned on heading right to the hospital as soon as he rented a car and to please let Wendy know where he was when she called. Frank had assured him that he would._

_It wasn't long before Rossi had gotten the rental and his luggage and was driving to Brazosport Memorial. He was going slightly over the speed limit and hoped he didn't run into any of the cops in the area as he didn't want to deal with the delay that getting pulled over would cause._

_By the time he had reached the hospital, Amber had been settled in her own room. David Rossi had spoken briefly with her doctor, who had told him that the injuries had been minor - bruises but no broken bones. The doctor expected her to release her tomorrow afternoon. Though the plan had been to release her into Child Protective Services custody, the doctor had given Rossi the name of the worker assigned to Amber's case and told to call her in the morning. After thanking the doctor, Rossi had headed for his daughter's room. _

_He had found Margaret standing outside in the hallway, face to face with a nurse. He spotted a hospital security guard not far away, keeping a close eye on the situation. The nurse was patiently explaining that under orders from CPS, hospital staff was not to let Margaret in unless Amber requested her presence. _

"_Ma'am I know this is hard," the nurse said patiently, "but please understand we are only trying to do what is best for your daughter. She's been through a very traumatic experience. Why don't you just go home and perhaps she'll be more willing to see you in the morning?"_

"_I can't believe this. Cops come knocking on our door in the middle of the night with some outlandish accusations about Ralph . . ., he would never do . . ."_

"_Are you calling our daughter a liar?"_

_Margaret whirled toward the sound of her ex-husband's voice. "Of course not but maybe she's just trying to get attention."_

"_I can't believe this," David said angrily. "What do you think she did beat herself up just to make her story look believable?" he asked incredulously._

"_You aren't around. You don't know what she's been like these last few months. Withdrawn. Moody. Nothing like my sweet little girl. Ever since your last visit out here in June," Margaret said, her tone now accusing. "What happened then?"_

"_Other than a picnic, hiking, horseback riding and her and Maria spending some time at the beach, nothing," Rossi replied, not at all liking what his ex-wife was implying. He had been in Houston helping the field office out on a case, and had taken a couple days of personal time to visit his daughter before going back east. Margaret had been away with Ralph on their honeymoon. Amber had seemed fine then. "That's also about the same time you married that creep you're with."_

"_Please, this isn't really the proper place for this conversation," the nurse said speaking up._

"_You're right, I'm sorry," Rossi said, in a calmer voice. "May I see my daughter?"_

_The nurse looked directly at him. "You're the biological father? David Rossi?"_

"_Yes."_

_The nurse nodded. "Mrs. Chaulk is in with her now," she told him. "Please don't stay if your presence seems to upset her."_

"_Understood," Rossi replied, with a quick nod as he headed toward the door to his daughter's hospital room. _

"_So you're letting him in to see her. He's never even around any other time," he could hear Margaret saying._

_As he entered the room, he closed the door behind him drowning out the guard's comment to Margaret. He paused just inside the door, looking at his daughter in the hospital bed. There were visible bruises on her face and arms. From the doctor's report he knew there were bruises that weren't visible right then. He felt the urge to wrap his fingers around Ralph's neck once again. If that guy wasn't in custody right now . . ._

"_Daddy."_

_At the sound of his daughter's voice, Rossi crossed over to the bed. Sitting on the edge of the bed opposite of where Mrs. Chaulk sat in a chair, the federal agent took his daughter carefully in his arms, holding her close._

"_Why didn't you protect me, Daddy?" he heard his daughter ask in a tear-filled voice._

_Rossi didn't answer her. He didn't know how to. Though the words cut him deeply, he knew the truth to them. As her father, wasn't it his job to protect her?  
><em>

_/ / /  
><em>

The real accusation had come later after they were back out East. CPS had agreed to let Amber go with Rossi once the hospital had released her. He and Wendy were staying with the Chaulks while in town, and being with Maria had been good for Amber. Margaret had posted bail for Ralph pending the case going to trial. As Margaret had insisted she was staying with her husband in their home, it hadn't been hard for Rossi to get temporary custody of Amber. A formal custody hearing had been set for the following month and he and Wendy had taken Amber back home with them.

Amber and Wendy had started counseling almost immediately. Rossi had joined them reluctantly a few months later, after the psychologist, Dr. Michelle Randall had requested a meeting with him. It was then that Amber had told him that she had blamed him at first for letting the whole thing happen. Mad that he hadn't let her come live with him when she had asked. That he had not protected her. Not much could make David Rossi cry, but those words from his daughter had. Even as she continued, telling him how Dr. Michelle had shown her that it wasn't that her father didn't want to protect her but that he really hadn't known how serious the situation was.

"_I should have told you exactly what he had been saying and doing to me before he raped me," Amber had said. "Ralph is the only one who is at fault. Dr. Michelle has made me see that."_

Rossi had started talking to Dr. Randall after that meeting, working through his own feelings surrounding the events. ~_Or at least I thought I had worked through them_, ~ Rossi conceded silently, realizing to some extent he still believed that if he had been more attuned to his daughter's behavior, had realized there was something to her sudden requests to want to come live with him, that he could have prevented the whole incident. That he could have prevented his daughter having to go through all that physical and emotional pain. To some extent, he hadn't forgiven himself for what had happened and a small part of him wondered if his daughter still did hold him partially responsible.

"She told you that?" Rossi asked, not needing further explanation as to what that statement meant.

"We've talked," Reid said simply, not wanting to go into things too much, not entirely sure how much Amber and Rossi had talked about the incident and knowing that there were some things that she had shared with him that she might not be comfortable with sharing with her father. Still, Amber had told him once that she wondered if her father really believed that she didn't hold him responsible for what had happened. ~_If he doesn't, maybe hearing it from someone else will help._~

Rossi nodded. Silence fell over the vehicle again. It was Rossi who broke it this time.

"I thought I had gotten past all those feelings of guilt surrounding what happened to her. I thought that I had moved past it. Seeing that body out there though . . . "

Rossi paused, trying to decide how to voice what it was he was feeling. "Seeing that girl out there, brought all that back. It may have happened sixteen years ago, but it's still with us. Even if we find Fawn alive, it'll be the same. Her entire family will have issues and emotions that they'll have to work through but in some ways it'll never end."

"Sometimes it's not about protecting someone from something because that's not always possible, but about being there after the fact. Being there for one another and helping one another move on."

Rossi nodded, as he thought over the younger man's words. "Just how did you learn to give such good advice?" he asked lightly, when he finally broke the silence once more.

"I've had some good mentors over the last few years," Reid replied.

Rossi smiled at that comment as he thought about his time with the team. He hadn't thought that the younger agents would have anything to teach him upon his return. After all, he had returned wanting only to solve the Galen case. They had proved him wrong on a number of occasions so far, this being one of them.

"Yeah the members of this team have a way of teaching you things whether you want to learn or not."

With that said, the two fell into a comfortable silence as they continued to the station to rejoin the rest of the team.


	7. Unexpected UnSub

Rossi walked out into the warm Texas night, and sat down on the steps of the police station. It was just after eight, and it seemed like they were no closer to finding the UnSub than they had been this morning. Rossi stared out into the city that surrounded him. Out there somewhere was a pervert who was doing who knew what with a terrified little girl, assuming that Fawn Maddison was still alive.

~_There have been no reports of any more abductions, which means there is still hope for Fawn Maddison, _~ Rossi reminded himself, needing something positive to cling to no matter how small.

There was still no match for the DNA from the semen samples taken from the first two victims. Both samples matched, which meant the same person had raped and killed those girls and now had a third. The fact that there was no match in the database meant that the guy was a first time offender or he had been convicted before and for some reason the DNA information never got put into any databases for whatever reason.

Garcia was now going through the list of registered sex offenders in the area, eliminating people given the parameters they had given her. They couldn't yet rule out that the UnSub was a new offender but for now generating possible suspects from the list was their best lead and they were all aware that time was short.

Taking out his cell phone, Rossi opened his list of contacts. Scrolling down through them, he found the one he wanted. He wasn't sure how long he would have, he had told his team to let him know as soon as Garcia got back with them, but he needed to talk to someone. Someone who would understand how he was feeling right now. A person whom would understand the memories that this case was causing to resurface after years of being buried. Yes, Reid had been supportive throughout the day but it wasn't the same. The younger agent only knew about the events from what he had been told. He hadn't lived through them.

"Hello, Dave," came the familiar voice after the second ring.

"Hi, Wendy. I'm not disturbing you, am I? I know it's a little later out there then it is here."

"No. I'm working on a presentation and could use a break," Wendy replied, in a light-hearted voice. Though they had stayed in contact with one another, since Valentine's day, the advertisement agent still enjoyed hearing from her ex-husband, something she wouldn't have admitted to even a year ago. "And just where has the job taken you this time?"

"Texas. We're out here investigating the abduction, rape and murder of two young girls and there is a third girl missing. The case has gotten to me a little more than I thought it would."

"Dave, I thought you worked through this years ago. What happened to Amber was not your fault," Wendy said, her voice taking on an empathetic tone to it, without her thinking about it.

"Maybe not, but if I hadn't been so wrapped up in my job, maybe I could have caught the warning signs. Might have taken her requests to move out east with us more seriously. Hell, I had even told myself that one of the reasons that I didn't want to let her move to Virginia with me was because my job took me away so much. That I wouldn't be able to be there for her and yet I still wasn't there for her."

"But you were. You were there to help her work through everything. A source of strength and comfort as she moved past what had happened and got on with her life. Amber has forgiven you so why don't you cut yourself a break and finally forgive yourself."

"I thought I had but seeing that little girl out there at the crime scene earlier today . . ."

"You had no control over what happened out there, Dave," Wendy said, interrupting what he was saying. "I know I've said in the past that somewhere in your mind you thought of yourself as God, but you're not."

Despite the situation, David Rossi let out a little chuckle at that. He had been a different man back then. Often looked at the job with a focused determination to accomplish his goals no matter who else got hurt in the process.

~_Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks_, ~ Rossi thought, even as Wendy continued speaking.

"Bad things happen to people. That's just a fact of life. You had no control over what this guy you're looking for did but you can help stop him from doing it again. Protect others from having to deal with what those other victim's families are dealing with right now. Just like you've always done. Each person you and your team catch makes the world that much safer to live in. Guess I was kind of narrow minded myself back then and I couldn't see that even though you often told me that doing your job was a way for you to protect the people you cared about."

"I guess we've both done some growing up over the years," Rossi commented. He wondered if she had come to a decision about the question he had asked her only a few days earlier. Perhaps it was seeing how happy Amber and Spencer were now that they were taking advantage of the second chance they were given. Or maybe it was because deep down he knew he had never stopped loving Wendy. Whatever it was, he had gotten up the nerve to ask her if she was willing to give them another try. Taking a second chance of getting their relationship right. She had told him then she had to think about it. Taking comfort in the fact that it wasn't a flat out refusal he had accepted the answer because he didn't have any other choice.

"If this case is bothering you so much, why don't you sit it out?"Wendy suggested.

Rossi couldn't forget that two other people who were close to him had made the same suggestion. ~_Amber probably would say the same thing if she knew what was going on_, ~ he thought, wondering if maybe he shouldn't take their advice.

"I'm sure your team could handle one case without you."

"I'm sure they could too," Rossi conceded. He heard the door to the station open behind him. Looking over his shoulder, he saw JJ standing there, one hand holding open the door.

"Garcia's got the narrowed down list," JJ told him softly, when she saw that she had his attention.

Rossi nodded his acknowledgment to the statement and the blonde liaison disappeared back into the building. "Wendy, I've got to go. Thanks for listening," he said into the phone as he got to his feet.

"No problem. If you need to talk again, don't hesitate to call, no matter what time of night it is," Wendy told him.

"Thanks. Talk to you later," Rossi told her, giving her a chance to say her own good-bye before ending the call even as he walked the short distance to the station's entrance.

Rossi entered the building and headed directly for the conference room that his team was set up in. They were all there already, gathered around the laptop that was on the table in front of Morgan. Prentiss was sitting next to Morgan, with Hotch and JJ hovering directly behind them. Reid was standing just behind JJ, looking at the computer screen over her shoulder.

Hotch glanced briefly at Rossi as the older agent entered and crossed the room to stand beside the team's leader. Looking down at the computer he saw the blonde tech on the screen, her face lacking its usual youthful exuberance. Given the task she had just been faced with, Rossi couldn't blame her.

"So, using the parameters you provided for me, I've been able to narrow down the list of known sex offenders in the area to five," Garcia told them as soon as she saw Rossi in the edge of the picture provided to her by the webcam.

"Five is still going to take us some time to check alibis on," Morgan commented, the frustration and anger evident to everyone in the room.

"Sorry, but it is better than the twenty-five that I started with. Bryan, Texas is not exactly a place where I would choose to raise my children given what I now know," the tech responded.

"Give us the names of the five you have, Garcia," Hotch told the tech.

"Right. Your five perverts of the day would be Jack Lloyd, Martin Skaggs, Trace Waters - I'm almost inclined to blaming his parents a little for his problem given that name - Jordan Knight, and Ralph Rigley."

As the tech read off the last name, Reid glanced over toward Rossi, recognizing the name. He could tell from the expression on the older agent's face that he had too.

"What can you tell us about their original offenses, Garcia?" Hotch asked, hoping that maybe they could narrow the five down a bit more before they went and talked to these men.

As the blonde tech began to provide them with more information on the men, starting with Jack Lloyd, Rossi slipped out of the room, followed closely by Reid. The other four agents in the room were so focused on the information they were receiving that they didn't notice. The tech didn't notice her disappearing audience either as her eyes were scanning other screens as she brought up more detailed information on the sex offenders.

As Garcia provided them with the details of the original offenses and their records since then, the profilers discussed the likelihood that the offender was their current UnSub. Time was against them and they didn't want to waste time questioning and angering too many of the wrong people as that wouldn't get them anywhere.

"So that brings us to Ralph Rigley, who also happens to be the most recently paroled of the five," Garcia said. "Rigley served 14 years of a 15-year sentence for the rape of a thirteen-year-old girl back in 1992. Since he's been out, there have been two calls to his residence for domestic disturbances called in by neighbors, though officers left the scene both times with no arrest being made. Oh no . . ."

"What is it, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, the distressed look on the tech's face making him wish he was able to give her a hug right about now.

"The original case made not only the local but the state papers, with a lot of coverage."

"Why?" Prentiss asked, knowing there was more to it than just a lot of press coverage to elicit Garcia's reaction.

"Is Rossi still in the room?" the tech asked, her voice wavering with emotion.

The profilers all glanced at where he had been standing and then around the room, for the first time noticing that Rossi was no longer in the room.

"No," Prentiss replied.

"Reid's gone too," JJ said, realizing the younger agent was no longer hovering at her shoulder.

Hotch was getting concerned at where he thought this was going. The disappearance of his two agents didn't help matters.

"Rigley was charged with the rape of his thirteen-year-old stepdaughter, who was also the daughter of a federal agent. The victim was Amber."

Morgan, Prentiss and JJ all let out expressions of surprise mixed with anger. Despite the anger he was feeling, Hotch was also growing concern. Pulling out his own cell phone, he quickly dialed Rossi's number, hoping the older agent would answer but not holding his breath. Beside him JJ's phone beeped, causing the blonde to pull it out to check it. Moments later she was holding the phone in front of Hotch, who peered down at it.

_Rigley's home. Going to need back-up._

The text was from Reid, and Hotch knew exactly what it meant even as he got Rossi's voice mail.

"Garcia, I need Rigley's home address," Hotch told the tech.

"Yes, sir. On the way to your phones as we speak," Garcia replied.

"Morgan, Prentiss let's go. JJ find Detective Pritchard and then follow. Fill him in on what is going on."

"You think Rossi went after Rigley on his own?" Prentiss asked as she and Morgan got to their feet.

"I don't think so, I know he did," Hotch said. "Reid's with him, but I don't think he's going to be able to stop Rossi from doing anything when they reach Rigley's house."

"I know what I would want to do if the guy had raped my daughter," Morgan said as the three profilers left the room.

"That is exactly what I'm afraid of," Hotch replied, already heading out of the room. Morgan and Prentiss were only a few steps behind their unit chief.

In a matter of moments, the three agents were in the government-owned SUV. With Morgan behind the wheel, and Hotch giving directions, they headed in the direction of Ralph Rigley's home.

* * *

><p>"Dave, I think you need to stop a moment and think things through before you do something you're going to regret," Reid said, for about the third time since he had climbed into the passenger seat of the SUV, despite the older profiler's protests.<p>

"I didn't ask you to come with me. If you don't want to be a part of this, then stay here," Rossi told him, as he brought the vehicle to a stop in front of Ralph Rigley's current address.

What Reid wanted to do and what he knew he had to, was two different things. With a very uneasy feeling, Reid unfastened his seatbelt and got out of the SUV. There were no cars parked in the townhouse's driveway or lights on, which Reid hoped meant that no one was at home. At this point, Reid knew that was the best outcome that he could hope for right now.

"Shouldn't we at least wait for back-up?" Reid said, as he hurried up the walkway behind his teammate trying to stall him. He knew JJ would have read his text message and would have shown it to Hotch. The young genius knew the others would be here, the trick was keeping Rossi from doing something he would later regret until they did.

"I've already got unasked for back-up," Rossi replied, without a break in his stride or even a glance over his shoulder.

Stalking up the three steps of the porch, Rossi yanked open the screen door with one hand even as he rang the doorbell with the other. Reid breathed a sigh of relief that the older man hadn't just tried kicking in the door without bothering to announce his presence. When there was no answer to the doorbell, Rossi banged on the door with his fist, the sound echoing in the quiet night.

"Dave, I don't think anyone is home," Reid said, as Rossi banged on the door a second time. He noticed the older profiler start to tense up, as if prepared to kick in the door, and reached out to grab his sleeve to get the older man's attention. Before he could say anything though, Rossi turned quickly and seized his shirt front.

Reid winced in pain as the sudden jarring of being grabbed aggravated his still tender ribs. That look of pain mixed with the terrified look on his teammate's face, got through to Rossi where words couldn't. He had been acting on instinct since hearing Ralph's name back at the station. It was only now that he realized just how out of control he was.

Letting go of Reid's shirt, Rossi drew in a deep breath. He held it for a few moments before letting it out slowly, even as Reid took a few steps back from him.

"Dave, you're not thinking straight right now," Reid said tentatively, his voice wavering from the emotions he was feeling. He remembered how worried he had been when he had first found out the Agent Rossi was Amber's father. So much had happened since then, that he usually felt silly recalling those feelings. That terrified feeling had come back full force as he had looked into the enraged eyes of his teammate. Even now, Reid felt the intense desire to be out of arms' reach of the older agent. "Given the circumstances, it's understandable. Let's just get in the car and head back to the station," Reid suggested, fighting the urge to follow his own advice without waiting for Rossi.

"And let this scumbag hurt more innocent children," Rossi growled, looking back at the house they were standing in front of.

"We don't know that it's him."

"Our UnSub is a preferential offender, Reid. A preference, which I might add, that just happens to fit the description of his first victim."

"Point taken, but let's handle this the right way," Reid suggested, even as he took one more step back, coming up against the porch railing.

The young genius held his breathe as he watched his teammate warily, wondering where the others were. Rossi took another glance toward the dark house and then taking a step away from the front door, let the screen door close. Reid thought his teammate was going to do as he had suggested and head for their SUV, even as he heard the sound of an engine pulling into the driveway behind him. Reid saw anger in Rossi's expression again, causing him to turn to look in the driveway, where a very beat up dark green Ford had pulled in.

Sensing movement behind him, Reid looked back over his shoulder to see Rossi walking toward the stairs. He contemplated stepping in front of the older man, and quickly dismissed the idea. There was no way he could stop the older man in the mood he was in. Instead, Reid followed Rossi down the steps of the porch even as the occupant of the vehicle got out of it. The driver of the green Ford took one look at the man coming down the steps of his front porch and turned and ran even as a black SUV screeched to a halt in front of the house. As Rossi started to run after the man, Reid let out a sigh of relief to see the rest of his team.

Morgan and Prentiss jumped from the vehicle and started running after the man fleeing, the former agent yelling at the man to freeze. Hotch had also gotten out of the vehicle, but instead of joining the pursuit, the federal agent headed to intercept Rossi.

"Dave, let Morgan and Prentiss handle it," Hotch said, grabbing the older profiler's arm trying to bring him to a stop.

Rossi tried to shake loose of Hotch's hold, but the unit chief moved to get in front of the other agent, keeping him from making forward progress.

"Do you know what he did?" Rossi yelled, still trying to move past Hotch. "I'm not about to stand-by and let him hurt a child again!"

"I know Dave," Hotch said calmly, keeping the older man from chasing after the other three who were by this time out of sight. "Garcia found the article. I know what he did, and I understand how you feel but don't put your career in jeopardy on account of him."

"It's not just a coincidence that he's in the same area as these rapes, Aaron. I know it."

"Dave, you're way too close to this to make an unbiased judgement in this situation."

"So you're just going to let it go because of my connection to Rigley," Dave asked. He had stopped trying to move past Hotch but still stood toe to toe with him.

Reid found himself holding his breath as he watched the scene unfold. Part of him was actually worried that Rossi would actually take a swing at their unit chief.

"Come on, Dave. You should know me better than that. We'll investigate him, but we're going to do this the right way or do you want him to get off on some technicality?"

Hotch's words finally seemed to get through to his friend, as Rossi finally relaxed his stance, and took a step back. From where he had been watching Reid let out the breath he was holding.

"So what do you propose we do?" Rossi asked.

"First of all tell me exactly what happened?" Hotch asked, fearing the worse.

Hotch was fully prepared to do damage control to keep his friend out of trouble or Rigley slip through their fingers before he could be fully investigated, but was relieved when he realized it wasn't going to take much to do that. The fact that Rigley hadn't been home when Rossi and Reid had arrived on scene nor had any words been exchanged between the two of them, would work in their favor.

~_Assuming we can come up with a lawful reason to at least bring him in for questioning, _~ Agent Hotchner thought, still worried about possible ways a defense attorney could get Rigley off on some technicality. He let his gaze drift to the house. As much as he wanted to search it, he knew that was going to have to wait for a search warrant.

* * *

><p>Agent Morgan felt his lungs start to burn as he continued the all out sprint through the streets of Bryan Texas. His feet pounded the pavement as he gained ground on the man he was chasing. Though he could no longer hear the sound of Prentiss' running footsteps, Morgan hoped she was still behind him, though he couldn't spare the time it would take to take even a quick glance. Given her recent ordeal back in Colorado, Morgan doubted she should really even be involved in this, and wasn't counting on having her as immediate back-up.<p>

Hope surged through him, as Morgan realized the street they were running down came to a dead end. Reaching the chain link fence at the end of the street that was at least eight foot high, the suspect stopped just before hitting it. Morgan saw him glance briefly over his shoulder before turning back to the fence, apparently ready to climb it.

"Freeze," Morgan managed to yell out, between breaths for air.

As with all the previous calls to stop, the man ignored Morgan's shout and began climbing the fence. He hadn't gotten far, when Morgan came to a stop at the fence himself. Reaching up, he grabbed for the man's leg, prepared to physically pull him down off the wall if necessary.

"FBI," Morgan panted. "Come down off the . . ."

Morgan never got any further as the man's right foot lashed out, making solid contact with the federal agent's jaw. Though stunned momentarily by the hit, Morgan kept a hold of the man's left leg, even as the man shook his leg in an attempt to pull himself free of the agent's grasp. Regaining his senses, Morgan reached out and grabbed both of the man's legs, muttering a curse underneath his breath. All pretext of doing this the nice way was gone, as Morgan forcibly pulled the man off the fence, the two of them going down to the ground in a tangle of arms and legs. More prepared for it than the suspect, Morgan quickly got the upper hand and soon had the man face-down on the cement, one knee pinning him to the ground, as he pulled the man's arms behind his back.

Hearing footsteps, Morgan glanced up. Prentiss had finally caught up. Despite being out of breath and clearly in pain, the raven-haired agent had her gun drawn and steadily trained on the suspect. Holding the man down on the ground with his knee and his left arm, Morgan reached behind him for his cuffs.

"Ralph Rigley?" Morgan asked.

"Yes," the man replied.

"You are under arrest. You have the right . . ."

"Under arrest for what?" the guy called out, turning his head to try to look up at Morgan.

"For starters, assaulting a federal agent," Morgan replied, as he slipped a cuff around one wrist. As he continued to read the man his rights, Morgan finished putting on the cuffs, purposely securing them more tightly than was necessary. "Do you understand your rights?" Morgan asked, as he pulled the man roughly to his feet.

"Yes," Rigley replied, getting his first glance at Prentiss who was now holstering her weapon.

"Are you okay?" Morgan asked Prentiss, looking over Rigley's shoulder.

"Yeah," Prentiss replied, between gasps for breath. "I think I should be asking you that question though," she commented, having been close enough to see Morgan get kicked in the face. Though even if she hadn't seen it that side of his face was beginning to swell.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"You sure?" Prentiss asked, stepping closer to Morgan and the suspect. "That looks like it hurts," she told him, starting to reach out to touch his jaw.

Morgan moved his head away from her reach. "I'm fine. What about you? Should you even be involved in a foot chase?"

"I've been cleared for duty," Prentiss replied. Though she was in more pain than she was letting on, she wasn't about to admit it to Morgan. "Don't worry about me."

"Why don't you call Hotch, and tell him we've got Rigley under arrest?" Morgan told her, trying to change the subject.

Prentiss didn't reply, but she did get her cell phone out, flipping it open to make the call.

"Move," Morgan told the suspect, giving him a harder than necessary shove forward.

"Hey man, take it easy," Rigley told him, as he stumbled a few steps before regaining his balance.

As Rigley continued to walk, the suspect turned his head to look over his shoulder at the federal agent. It was the first time Morgan noticed several scrapes on the man's chin, sustained either when he had been pulled form the fence or the brief struggle that had ensued. It was bleeding slightly though nothing that would put him in immediate danger. As he was still very aware of the throbbing on the right side of his jaw, Morgan was in a way glad that Rigley had not gotten out of the whole ordeal without being roughed up a bit too.

"Just walk," Morgan told him, as he started back to where he and Prentiss had left their teammates.


	8. Changes

Hotch finished his conversation with Prentiss and put the cell phone away. At least something was going their way. Rigley hadn't gotten away and though he did feel bad about Morgan getting hit, at least they would have the assault charge to hold him on no matter how the rest of this panned out. Yes, Detective Pritchard had arrived on the scene with JJ, an arrest warrant for Ralph Rigley in hand, but despite that, the truth was they didn't have much evidence to go on. Yes, he fit the profile. Yes, he had a past history of raping a child. A thirteen-year-old brunette - just like their current victims.

Like Rossi, Hotch's gut told him that this was their UnSub and not just because he wanted it to be. Hotch knew that as much as he wanted to solve this case that Rossi would also love to have a reason to put Ralph Rigley back behind bars where he felt he still belonged from the first incident. The unit chief knew all that and couldn't blame his friend for feeling that way as he shared those feelings. Nor was it just because that first victim was the daughter of someone he knew. Hotch felt that anyone who could actually harm a child intentionally had no right to be out walking free.

"They caught Rigley and are headed back this way with him. Right now he's under arrest for assaulting Morgan," Hotch said out loud to JJ, Rossi and Reid. His gaze drifted to Pritchard who was on his own cell phone, trying to get the judge who had served the arrest warrant to provide a search warrant for Rigley's house and car. The only real indication of guilt was the fact that Rigley had bolted the moment he had seen Rossi, but they couldn't be sure if that was because he was guilty of these new crimes, or because of the past. "Dave, I want you to serve the arrest warrant when they get here. Can I trust you to keep your cool?"

Rossi nodded his consent, having had time to calm down some now. Though he was still angry, he had gotten control of his emotions. Hotch and Reid were both right. Rigley was not worth his career. "I promise to be professional about it, but why me?"

"Because you and Reid were the first two on the scene, even if you didn't actually have a chance to speak to him."

"And you want him to think that I already had the arrest warrant at that time," Rossi said, catching onto Hotch's way of thinking.

"We're going to lie to him?" Reid asked, sounding very uneasy about the whole situation.

"As long as we never actually tell him that we had the arrest warrant when the two of you first showed up, it's not a lie," JJ explained. "We can't be held responsible for the conclusions that Rigley draws."

Reid nodded, not looking any more at ease about the situation. Before anything else could be said between the four federal agents, Detective Pritchard finished with the phone call he had been making, joined them, interposing himself between Reid and Hotch.

"I got a judge to agree to sign a search warrant for Rigley's house, car and property. I'm going to head over to his home office to pick it up."

"Good, let's hope we find something and Rigley is our guy. Fawn Maddison is running out of time," Hotch commented. "JJ why don't you go with him."

"Got it," JJ said, as she followed Detective Pritchard to the car they had arrived on scene in.

As the two of them left, Hotch glanced in the direction that Rigley had disappeared in. At this point, there wasn't much else he could do but wait until Morgan and Prentiss got back with Rigley. The last thing they wanted to do was screw this up on a technicality, which meant that though he might like to go looking around the premises, it would be best to wait until they had the search warrant, especially as there was nothing visible that was suspicious. Hotch couldn't keep his thoughts from going to thinking about what this might mean for Fawn Maddison if Rigley wasn't their man.

While Hotch was lost in his own thoughts, Rossi was sorting through things himself. His thoughts weren't exactly on the case at this point though. He let his gaze drift over to his youngest teammate. Reid was standing, hands stuffed in his pocket, and looking around idly, his features revealing how nervous he was. Rossi reached out, and lightly touched the upper part of Reid's left arm. The younger profiler started, and then glanced over at Rossi, who nodded in the direction away from Hotch.

The two profilers walked a few steps away from their team leader. When they came to a stop, Reid stood facing Rossi, looking expectantly at the older man.

"Are you okay?" Rossi asked, remembering the wince of pain that had crossed the younger man's face when he had grabbed him.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Sudden movements are still just a little painful," Reid replied, knowing what Rossi was referring to.

"Look, I'm sorry, I just wasn't thinking. I do appreciate you caring enough to tag along."

"A lot of good I did," Reid commented, a rueful expression on his face.

"You had the presence of mind to call in back-up. If you hadn't, who knows what would have happened."

"Rigley probably would have gotten away," Reid ventured tentatively, not at all sure if his older teammate was in the mood to see the humor in the implication that Rigley would have outran him.

"You better watch it," Rossi said, a trace of humor softening his tone. "I can show you just how good of shape I'm in when we get back to Quantico, as I'm sure I can take you in hand-to-hand."

Reid smiled. "No thanks," he replied.

The private conversation ended there as the two walked back to where Hotch was now leaning against the SUV. Joining him, the three FBI agents waited for their two teammates to join them.

Rossi pushed the back door of the police cruiser closed, giving the action more force than was really necessary. Inside, Ralph Rigley jumped at the sound of the door slamming next to him. The paroled child rapist had lawyered-up not long after Rossi had served the arrest warrant and read him his rights. Rigley hadn't even questioned whether the FBI agent had the warrant when he had first spotted him, though he maintained that the only reason he had ran was that he had recognized David Rossi.

"Given past circumstances, I figured he hadn't been happy when he heard about me getting out on parole," Rigley had said, when they had questioned his reasoning for running.

Though maintaining his innocence on the recent abductions and assaults on the young teenage girls, none of the profilers had missed the color draining from Rigley's face when Detective Pritchard had returned, search warrant in hand. The local detective, two other Bryan police officers, JJ and Prentiss were all combing the premises. Having already searched the car and found nothing, the five law enforcement personnel were all within the house.

Rossi turned from the cruiser and started walking toward where Hotch was standing with Morgan and Reid.

"This isn't open for debate, Morgan," Hotch was saying, as Rossi came within earshot. "I want you checked out at the hospital. The only choice you have in the matter is whether I call an ambulance to take you over or you let Reid drive you there. Now, what will it be?"

Morgan sighed, clearly not at all happy with either choice. He glanced at Reid briefly before looking back at Hotch, trying to gauge whether it was worth trying to talk his supervisor into changing his mind. From the expression on the senior profiler's face, Morgan decided that his chances of talking his way out of a trip to the hospital were practically nonexistent.

"Fine," Morgan said, with a heavy sigh of resignation.

Hotch handed the keys to the SUV he had driven to the scene to Reid. "Don't let him convince you not to go and if he doesn't get checked out, give me a call," the unit chief instructed Reid. He turned his gaze to Morgan. "You don't get clearance from an ER doc, and I will take you off of active duty until I get an official clearance by the bureau's doctor back in Virginia, do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, sir." Morgan responded in a clipped voice.

Morgan and Reid started walking toward the SUV, Reid heading for the driver's side for a change.

"This is so stupid. I don't need to see a doctor. I took harder hits in college playing football," Morgan muttered under his breath, as he climbed into the passenger seat.

Behind the wheel, Reid wisely chose not to comment on his friend's complaints. He knew the older profiler was simply trying to vent his frustrations and didn't really want comments from anyone. Though he might not pick up on every subtlety of common social interactions, he had learned a few things over his years of being with the team. Besides, if it was one thing he had learned growing up as the youngest of his classmates in the Las Vegas public school system, it was when it was the right time to simply keep quiet. This was definitely one of those times.

* * *

><p>Amber was up before the sun had made its appearance the following morning. That in itself wasn't unusual. What was unusual was that it hadn't even started creeping above the horizon, nor had her alarm gone off. However, she hadn't been able to sleep and after getting fed up with tossing and turning, she finally decided that enough was enough, and tossing the sheet aside, climbed from the bed.<p>

Spencer had called her last night with the news that the case had been solved. The last missing girl, Fawn Maddison, had been found alive though she had already gone through quite an ordeal. Amber knew first hand what kind of recovery that little girl was facing. Her physical injuries would heal long before the emotional ones. Even that wasn't what had kept her awake though. What had made it hard to sleep was knowing that the same man who had ruined the innocence of Fawn and took the life of the other girls, was the same scumbag who had ruined her own teenage years.

_~I only hope the courts have enough sense to keep him in jail permanently this time_, ~ Amber thought, as she grabbed a uniform from her closet and headed for the bathroom.

She had been informed about her former stepfather's release when it had happened. He was getting granted release a year early based on good behavior, the letter had said. It had also informed her that Ralph Rigley was not to have any contact with her, and if such should occur, she was to contact Texas authorities.

That letter had come to her three months ago. Though she had shared the information with Spencer, she hadn't told her Dad. Though they had talked about the whole situation at length during therapy sessions, during her time living on the east coast with him and Wendy, the two of them had never discussed it outside of that. It was probably the only topic that they never talked about. Amber had figured it wasn't worth opening the old wounds. That it wouldn't matter as it was unlikely their paths would ever cross Ralph Rigley's.

~_So, much for thinking that_, ~ Amber thought, closing the bathroom door and hanging the uniform on the hook there. Moving to the tub, she turned the water on. ~_Half the country away, and Ralph still finds a way to enter my life. To destroy the peace I have finally been able to create for myself.~_

Amber removed the oversized T-shirt and shorts she had slept in and, letting them fall to the floor, stepped into the now streaming water of the shower.

~_At least, Dad didn't actually do anything to complicate his own life more or put his career on the line_, ~ Amber told herself, thinking of what Spencer had told her about what had taken place back in her home state. She stood still as the hot water streamed over her tense muscles. ~_Which is exactly why I never brought up his release to Dad. I wasn't sure what he would do with the news. I know he still hates Ralph. Hell, I hate the man. However, I also didn't want Dad to get upset about something that he couldn't control. I didn't want him to do something along the lines of what he almost did last night. Ralph has ruined my life enough. Just because he was released, doesn't mean I had to let him continue to do that._~

~_And now he's ruined even more peoples' lives but that isn't my fault. I came forward about what he did. They knew what he was and they still released him. The lives of those girls are not on my hands, _~ Amber reasoned with herself, even though part of her still felt a responsibility, because she knew exactly what they had been feeling before their deaths. Knew exactly what Fawn would be facing during the long recovery that laid before her.

Amber finished her shower, the hot water not helping to wash away the thoughts that were still tumbling around in her head. Getting dressed, she headed downstairs and grabbed a quick breakfast. She didn't linger over the food, and it wasn't long before she was driving toward Station Washington. At least between the radio and keeping her eyes on the road, she was able to shift her focus away from her stepfather and the issues surrounding him. Getting out of her truck though, her thoughts were immediately back there.

~_Maybe, I'll call Wendy later_, ~ She thought, heading into the building that housed the Coast Guard unit. ~_It would be good to have another female to talk this stuff through with, especially one who already knows a lot of what went on.~_

Wendy had been there for Amber during that rough spot in her life. She had been there for both her and her father really. Of all the stepparents she'd had over the years, Amber knew her best relationship had been with her father's third wife. Even after Wendy and her father had divorced, Wendy had told her that she could call her for whatever reason. Had continued to be a source of support. Continued to treat her like a daughter. Amber had been grateful for that over the years.

Amber was also aware that Wendy had been talking to her father more and more recently. Secretly, Amber was happy for them. Her Dad deserved someone special in his life, and Amber had always known there was a part of Wendy that still cared for her father, but like herself and Spencer when she had been about to graduate from college, what Wendy wanted in life and what her father had wanted, couldn't coexist. Going their own ways had been the only solution available at the time, and both had taken it before giving up what they wanted lead to resentment toward each other. Now, she and Spencer were together and that in itself gave Amber hope that perhaps the two most influential parental figures in her life might have a shot at a second chance too.

Reaching the building, Lt. Amber Rossi pulled open the door and walked inside. She was early this morning, and most of the personnel that she normally worked with was not yet there. Still, she exchanged short greetings with some of her co-workers on the previous shift as she made her way to her own desk. Amber was about to sit down when someone called her name.

"Lt. Rossi, I'd like to see you in my office," Lt. Commander Jason Hines called out, standing in the doorway of his office.

~_Apparently I'm not the only one in here early this morning_, ~ Amber thought, turning from her desk. "Coming, sir," she said out loud.

Hines stood to the side, as Lt. Rossi entered the office. "Have a seat," he told her, gesturing to the chair in front of his desk. The commanding officer of Station Washington walked around the desk to his own chair.

The fact that Lt. Commander Hines hadn't closed the office door put Lt. Rossi at ease a bit, knowing that what her superior wanted to talk about was not confidential nor disciplinary.

"What did you want to see me about, sir?" Lt. Rossi asked, as Hines settled into the chair across the desk from her.

"Transfer papers," Lt. Commander Hines said, picking up a folder and holding it out to his subordinate. Amber took it from him, opening it, even as the station commander continued to speak. "The order came in late last night, and I came in here early this morning to get everything in order. You're being temporarily reassigned to Air Station Atlantic City. A rescue swimmer was injured in a call yesterday. He'll be out for four weeks and, in the meantime, they need you to fill in for him."

"And after the four weeks?" Amber questioned, feeling a bit panicked. She knew that her assignment here at Station Washington wasn't guaranteed to be permanent. That at some point in the future, she might be reassigned. That was a possibility that came with the job. She had even talked about the possibility with Spencer and he had promised her that he would follow her. That their jobs wouldn't come between them. Neither of them had expected to have to face that challenge this soon though.

"I've been assured, that in four weeks, you will be transferred back here. The hope is, the swimmer who was hurt will be ready to come back. If not, there are some new rescue swimmers who will be ready for assignment at that point. Though after three weeks of going back to jumping out of helicopters, you may not want to come back to the boring routine of Station Washington."

"I've figured out there is something to be said about routine."

"Well, I hope you still feel that way in four weeks. I'd hate to lose you around here."

"Thank-you, sir," Rossi replied, feeling flattered by the remarks. Though Hines believed in giving praise when it was due, she had learned that he did so sparingly.

"You're expected to report to Commander Jackson at Air Station Atlantic City by five this evening. You're free to leave now, so you'll have time to get ready and make the trip," Lt. Commander Hines said, as he got to his feet. Lt. Rossi got to her feet as well, as her commanding officer held his hand out to her. "Good luck and I'll be looking forward to having you back in four weeks, Lieutenant."

"Thank-you, sir," Lt. Rossi replied, shaking hands with her commanding officer.

"That will be all, Lieutenant."

Lt. Amber Rossi left the office and headed to her desk. It didn't take her long to take care of a few things that needed to be done before she left the station for four weeks. By the time her co-workers were reporting for duty, she was ready to leave to go home and pack. Making a few good-byes to those she worked with the most, Lt. Rossi left Station Washington.

* * *

><p>After going through security, both at the Marine Corps base gate and then at the front entrance of the building, Lt. Amber Rossi made her way to the elevators. Stepping inside, she hit the button for the sixth floor where the agents and civilian support staff of the BAU worked. She wasn't sure if Spencer and the team were back from Texas yet, though if they left at the time they had been planning to this morning, then they should be back soon.<p>

Reaching the sixth floor, Amber stepped off the elevator with several other people. A quick glance into the bullpen area told her that neither Spencer, Emily or Morgan were at their desks. Beyond the desks normally occupied by the federal agents, she noticed that both Aaron's and her father's offices were still dark, a strong indication that the team hadn't arrived back from Texas yet. Without hesitation, Amber headed in the direction of the one person on the team who she knew would be in the building, and more than likely would be found in her office.

"Come, in," Penelope Garcia called in reply to the knock on her door.

The tech turned to see who was coming into the room as Amber entered the office.

"Amber, hi!" Garcia said cheerfully, happy and surprised to see her friend. "Reid and the team should be here shortly. The jet just landed at the air strip," she added, knowing the team's resident genius was probably the real reason that Amber had stopped by the BAU.

"I had a feeling you would have an ETA on them," Amber said, walking into the office and leaning against one of the tables that held Garcia's computers and myriad of colorful trinkets. "I did need to see you too, though. It looks like I'm going to have to cancel on you for that movie we were going to go see on Friday."

"Oh, no. Why?"the blonde tech asked, her tone revealing a mixture of disappointment and concern.

"I'm not going to be in the area. The Coast Guard is transferring me the air station in Atlantic City for the next four weeks. A rescue swimmer was injured and I'm going out there to fill in while he's out."

"It's just the four weeks though right? It's not a permanent transfer?" Garcia asked, her tone now revealing the fright she was feeling about her friend being transferred away. The blonde tech knew that was an eventuality that would have to be faced somewhere down the road, but didn't want it to happen so soon. Especially as it would mean not only losing her new found friend, but also Reid as well, as the young agent had already said he would be following his fiancé whenever her next transfer came in.

"Just the four weeks is what I was told," Amber reassured her.

"How soon?"

"I have to report by five this evening. I've already packed everything I'm going to need. I just hoping to say good-bye to Spencer and Dad before leaving," Amber replied. She paused, trying to decide if she wanted to express her feelings surrounding the orders or not. Deciding that her friend would be understanding, she decided to continue. "This is the first time I ever received transfer orders that I don't want to follow. It's going to be hard being away from Spencer and the rest of you for the next few weeks."

"It won't be long. Besides, it's only a couple of hours away so the two of you can make plans to see each other. Maybe Emily, JJ and I can get down there and steal you away from the base for a few hours, one night."

"That would be nice. Still, it's not just about this transfer. If I feel this torn about leaving when I know its only going to be four weeks, what am I going to feel like when a permanent transfer comes in? I haven't even been here for a year yet and already this place feels like home. I've been happy in the places I've lived in since joining the Coast Guard and have made friends, but nothing has ever felt like this."

"Aww, I didn't know you felt that way about us," Garcia said, touched by her friend's words. She also knew her friend was looking for someone to lean on and some advice but the blonde tech wasn't sure what to say. She didn't want Amber to leave either, but she knew how much her friend enjoyed what she did. Much like she herself enjoyed her job as an FBI tech.

"Not to mention," Amber said continuing, "I've been thinking about the future and wondering if this is really the kind of life I want for my kids. My Dad wasn't in my life for much of my childhood. First, the Marines, and, then, this job. Not to mention living in different parts of the country. I'm not sure I want to miss that much of my kids' lives, nor do I want to be uprooting them every time the Coast Guard decides they need me elsewhere."

"I thought you enjoyed your work?" Garcia said, surprised to hear her friend's words.

"I do. I guess I'm just starting to wonder if this is what I'm still supposed to be doing with my life. I mean, I've accomplished my dream, and while I enjoy it, I love Spencer. I don't want to ask him to give up his career and being with his family, to follow my career especially when I'm happy where I'm at right now. The last time, I was worried that if I gave up chasing my dream to stay with Spencer, I'd only end up resenting him because of that. This time, well I think I could be happy here, no matter what. Maybe the Coast Guard isn't where I belong anymore."

"I wish I could give you the answer you're looking for, Sweetie, but I can't. I know I would love for you to stay in the area and I'm sure you could find a job around here, if that's what you want, but you've got to decide for yourself. Make the decision that is best for you."

"I know," Amber said. She sighed. "I don't need to make that decision right away, anyway. My current contract goes to October, so I've got a couple of months to decide what I want to do."

"If you want a sounding board, I'm willing to listen."

"I know," Amber said. "I think I need to sort through some things myself."

"Have you mentioned any of this to Reid yet?" Garcia asked.

Amber shook her head. "I guess I didn't really seriously start thinking about this until this transfer came in and even now," Amber paused thinking over her words. "I guess I'm afraid he'll say what he thinks I want to hear," she said, thinking about what Spencer had told her when he had proposed. She knew he would follow through with that promise to give up his career to be with her, and though she appreciated it, what good would that sacrifice be, if she wasn't happy with serving in the Coast Guard anymore. "What good would it do either of us, if he were to give up his position here, to follow me, and then I end up resigning from the Coast Guard anyway?"

"Can I make a suggestion?"

"Shoot," Amber said, willing to consider just about anything at this point.

"Well, when I've got a difficult decision to make, I find it helps to write out the pros and cons of a given situation. Being able to see everything there in black and white helps to reveal what the best choice is."

"Somehow I can't see you doing a two-tone list," Amber said. "You would probably have say, pink paper, purple ink for pros and orange ink for cons or something."

Garcia laughed as she nodded her head in agreement. "Point taken. The concept doesn't change though."

"No, it doesn't. I'll keep it in mind," Amber told her. "Thanks."

"Anytime," Garcia said with a smile.

"I think I'm gonna go see if they're back yet," Amber said, with a nod toward the office door. "I'll stay in touch while I'm in Atlantic City and if you can come see me one evening, that would be great."

"I'll definitely try," Garcia told her. She got to her feet, and quickly closed the distance between the two of them. "Take care of yourself and be careful," the blonde tech told her friend as she embraced her in a good-bye hug.

"I will," Amber reassured her friend, returning the hug before leaving the office of the BAU tech.


	9. Separation Begins

Amber left Garcia's office and headed toward the bull pen area. As she entered, she saw that Spencer, Emily and Morgan were all seated at their desks. Emily and Morgan were talking to one another while Spencer was already at work, a file opened in front of him. The scene made her smile as she walked into the bull pen, her presence not earning more than a brief glance from the other agents at their desks. ~Leave it to Spencer to be the one to get right to work, ~ she thought.

It was Emily who spotted Amber's approach first, as she was already facing that direction as she talked with Morgan.

"Hey, Amber! I didn't expect to see you here," the raven-haired agent said, causing both Morgan and Reid to look in Amber's direction.

"Uh-oh, what did you do now, Pretty Boy?" Morgan asked teasingly as Amber walked behind him.

"What? Nothing!" Reid exclaimed, not getting at all that the question was meant as a joke. The fact that he was oblivious to the joke, amused his fiancé and two co-workers.

"Hi, guys," Amber said in greeting as she took up a leaning position against Morgan's desk. "I wasn't exactly planning on stopping by for a visit this morning but something came up," she said, responding to Emily's greeting and ignoring Morgan's teasing. Although her departure wasn't going to be a secret from Emily and Morgan, Amber wanted to let Reid know about it before them. She also didn't want to break the news to him in the middle of the bull pen. "Spencer, I need to discuss something with you and Dad," she said, having already spotted her father in his nearby office.

"Yeah, sure," Reid said, as he got to his feet, feeling a bit nervous as his fiance's voice had a serious tone to it.

With Morgan and Emily's eyes on the two of them, Amber and Reid went up the steps to the upper level of the bullpen. Crossing to Agent Rossi's office, Amber knocked on the door. It wasn't long before the two of them walked inside, Reid closing the door behind him. In the bullpen, Reid's two co-worker's looked on in interest.

"What do you think is going on?" Emily asked, shifting her gaze from the office to her teammate across the aisle from him.

"Not sure. Starting to wish I hadn't made that joke though," Morgan said, his own gaze staying on the scene in the office as he spoke.

"Relax. Amber knows you were joking even if Reid didn't," Emily said. "Besides, if it was something that Reid did then Amber definitely would not be having the conversation in front of Rossi. It's probably something family related."

"Even more of a reason I shouldn't have been joking around."

"What?"

"Come on Emily, family news that can't wait until the end of the workday. That can't be good news."

As Morgan's words sunk in, Emily turned in her chair again to get a better view of the scene unfolding in Rossi's office. The veteran profiler was seated calmly behind his desk, his stoic face giving no hint of the conversation taken place within. So far, Amber seemed to be doing the most talking but as she was facing Rossi, Emily didn't even have a chance of reading her lips. The best source of information from this distance would have been Reid, but the genius was currently standing with his back to the window.

"Didn't your mothers ever teach you that staring isn't polite?" a cheerful voice asked, causing Emily to swivel her chair around agin.

Garcia had walked into the bullpen. Looking at her friend, Prentiss noticed that her expression did not match her tone of voice. Though the tech was trying to sound cheerful, something was obviously bothering her. Prentiss wasn't the only one who noticed.

"What's wrong, Baby Girl?" Morgan asked, before Prentiss had a chance to voice the question

"Nothing," Garcia said, trying to feign innocence. The look she was getting from both of her teammates told her that they weren't buying that line. "I hate profilers," she muttered, giving both Morgan and Prentiss an exasperated look.

Morgan got to his feet and looped an arm around Garcia's waist. "What's going on? Does it have something to do with what's going on in there?" Morgan asked, waving his free hand in the direction of the office.

"Yes."

"Well, what is it?"

Garcia hesitated. Amber hadn't told her not to tell anyone and both Morgan and Prentiss would be finding out soon enough. Still, she really didn't want to be the bearer of bad news. She glanced at Prentiss and then up at Morgan. She could tell they weren't going to let her off the hook.

"Oh, confound it. You damn profilers and your tricks," she said, in frustration. "Amber received a temporary assignment. She has to be at the Coast Guard Air Station in Atlantic City this evening."

"What?" Morgan said, surprised.

"That was out of the blue," Prentiss commented.

"Apparently a rescue swimmer at the air station got hurt and they need Amber to replace him," Garcia said. She looked up at Rossi's office. "I feel so bad for them."

"It's a temporary assignment, right?" Morgan said. "They'll get through it, and then Amber will be back in D.C. and things will be fine."

"So spoken like a man who has never been serious about a woman in his life," Prentiss commented.

"I've had a few serious relationships," Morgan said defensively. "I'm just trying to be practical. I know it's not going to be easy on them, but they'll get through it. It's just a temporary assignment."

"For now," Prentiss commented. "A lot can change in four weeks. They may decide to keep her there or she might decide she would rather be there after getting a taste of being a rescue swimmer again."

"Do you think Reid would really give up his job here to be with her if that happened?" Garcia asked. Despite Amber's confession about considering leaving the Coast Guard, the technical analyst had to admit that Prentiss had a point. Would being a rescue swimmer again make Amber realize that it was what she really wanted to be doing?

"He seems serious enough about the relationship to do just that."

"Okay, you two need to stop with the speculations. Worrying about what may or may not happen isn't going to do anyone any good. For now, it's a four-week separation for them. Maybe we should concentrate on how we can help support them during that."

"Morgan's right. We need to be strong for both Reid and Amber," Prentiss said.

Garcia nodded her consent of the statement, even as she contemplated the pros and cons of hacking the Coast Guard computer network and changing Amber's orders. It didn't take her long to dismiss the idea. Even if she didn't get caught, which was unlikely to begin with, Amber was a fellow hacker. She would be suspicious and probably catch on faster than Hotch had when she had held up his transfer and Emily's resignation over a year ago.

The door to the office opened and Amber stepped out of the office followed by both Reid and Rossi. As Rossi walked the short distance to Hotch's office, the other two made their way down to the bullpen.

"I take it Penelope has already told you," Amber ventured, taking in the downcast faces of all three agents gathered.

"Yeah," Morgan said, speaking up for the three of them. "You take care of yourself out there," he told her, closing the distance between them and pulling Amber into a good-bye embrace.

"Thanks. Keep an eye on Spencer while I'm gone, please," Amber requested softly.

"You can count on it," Morgan replied, before letting her go.

Amber turned and exchanged a good-bye hug with Emily. Neither woman said anything, as the hugged each other tightly.

"Will somebody break the news to JJ for me and tell her I said good-bye? I really do need to be getting on the road."

"I will," Prentiss said. "And we'll be in touch. You being assigned to Atlantic City will give us a good excuse to spend girls' night there."

"I would enjoy the company. I've got a feeling I'm going to be lonely these next four weeks."

A few more words were exchanged between the group, before Amber started heading for the exit with Reid at her side. He had decided to walk his fiancee out to her car, wanting a few last moments with her.

"If this assignment turns into a permanent one or you're given the opportunity to stay and you want to, I will move to be with you," Spencer said, as the elevator moved down to the ground floor. "I meant what I said when I proposed to you. I will give my job up for you. I just want you in my life."

Amber reached out and took his hand in her own. "I know you meant that, Spencer, but don't worry about it right now. This is a temporary assignment. They have an opening that I'm trained to fill. That's all this is. In four weeks, I'll be back here in D.C. Besides, it's not like I'm going back to Alaska. We're no more than four hours away by car. This isn't the end of the world."

"I'm just going to miss you," Reid said, actually feeling a lot more than that but not wanting to put it into words. He didn't want to make things any harder on Amber.

"I'm going to miss you, too," Amber told him, letting go of his hand and wrapping her arms around him instead.

Reid easily hugged her back, letting his chin rest on the top of her hair. He felt a little self-conscious knowing they were in the elevator of the building he worked in, but as it was going to be awhile before he got to hold her in his arms again, he tried to put that out of his mind. So what if someone saw them?

The elevator made the trip down from the sixth floor without any interruptions. As the doors opened, Reid and Amber broke away from one another. Slipping his arm around her shoulders, Reid started guiding his fiancee toward the front door. They exchanged brief greetings with other agents that they knew as they left the building and headed for the parking garage.

"Four weeks is going to seem like a long time," Reid commented.

"We'll get past it," Amber told him, fishing her keys out of a pocket with the hand that wasn't currently wrapped around Spencer's waist. "It'll seem like no time at all and I'll be back here in D.C. and you and I can discuss plans for our wedding."

"Unless something else comes up between now and then."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Reid sighed. "I'm sorry. I guess I'm just starting to feel like you keep putting off the discussion as if you don't really want to go through with the wedding after all."

Amber stopped walking, and removed her arm from around Reid's waist. "What?" she asked.

Reid, having taken a few extra steps, now turned to face his fiancee. He could see the hurt on her face and felt bad about it. This was not how he wanted to spend these last few moments with her.

"I'm sorry," he said again, stuffing his hands into his pocket and looking down at the cement.

"You really think I don't want to go through with the wedding?" Amber asked. She saw Reid shrug his shoulders in reply to her question. "Spencer, this isn't something we can just ignore. What have I done that would make you feel that way?"

Spencer didn't look up. "It's just that every time I bring the subject off you put it off. I understand that you wouldn't want to get married the same day as your mother and I'm not asking you to drop everything and we go get married tomorrow, but I want to talk about it. When someone asks me when I'm going to get married, I want to be able to tell them not say that we're still discussing it when really we're not discussing it at all."

Amber took a few steps closer to Reid. As his hands were still stuffed into his pockets, she slipped her hands around his waist.

"Spencer, I do want to marry you even though, yes the prospect of marriage scares me. Most of my experience has been with the ones that don't work."

"I know, but we can make it work. I know we can," Spencer replied, his body stiff, though he didn't try to pull away from her.

Amber could hear a mixture of confidence and pleading in his voice. "Somehow I think you have enough conviction in that for the both of us."

Reid finally moved his gaze from the concrete beneath his feet to the woman he loved. As he looked into her eyes, he was relieved not to see any anger or condemnation in them due to his words. Instead he saw a mixture of fear, uncertainty and love. Emotions he was feeling himself.

"I can if need be," he told her.

"We'll talk when I get back home and I promise we'll set a date the first night I'm home. Okay?"

Reid nodded.

Amber removed her arms from around his waist, and reaching up, placed both hands gently on the side of his face. "If there is one thing, I'm certain of right now, it is that I love you Spencer Reid," she told him, before standing on tip toes and pressing her lips against his.

Reid returned the kiss hesitantly, well aware that they were in the middle of the parking garage. Despite that however, he took his hands out of his pockets and placed them gently behind the back of Amber's head, right below the bun that her hair was secured in.

The sound of someone whistling caused them to finally pull away from one another. Amber and Reid looked in the direction of the sound to see two men, both in dress pants, shirts and ties, watching the display of emotion with grins on their faces. Though he didn't recognize them, Reid was certain that they both worked somewhere in the FBI's facilities at Quantico. He felt his face flush with embarrassment, not at all liking the fact that he was the center of attention.

"Don't worry about them," Amber said, taking Reid's arm and continuing toward where she had parked her pick-up.

Reaching her vehicle, Amber unlocked the door and climbed behind the wheel. Reid leaned in and gave her another kiss. "Call me when you get settled up there," he told her.

"I will," Amber told him. "Four weeks isn't such a long time. I'll be back before you know it."

"It'll seem like a long time to me," he responded, before giving her one last quick kiss. Then stepping back, he closed the car door.

Reid stood in the parking lot, watching Amber's truck drive away. Despite what she had told him, he couldn't ignore the nagging feeling deep down that said this could be the last time he saw her. The genius couldn't decide if it was because of his own recent brush with death and knowing that as dangerous as what she did here in D.C., her assignment in Atlantic City was even going to be more dangerous. Jumping out of a helicopter in ideal conditions was risky, and usually when the Coast Guard was called out, conditions were never ideal.

~_What if she decides not to come back? _~ Reid asked himself as he lost sight of the truck. It wouldn't be the first time someone he had cared about had walked out of his life. First his dad had, and, then, Gideon had left. What was there to keep Amber from doing the same thing? ~_I can't lose her, _~ Reid thought. ~_I might not deserve her, but I need her_.~

Feeling as if his life was beginning to unravel around him, Reid headed back toward the building. He had work to do. There was always work to do. No matter what, he could take comfort in that certainty. Which meant that for the next four weeks, he would focus on his job and try to ignore the nagging doubts that were gnawing at him. There wasn't like there was much he could do. He hadn't been enough to make his Dad stay. Gideon had walked out of his life with an explanation, but no way to contact him. If Amber chose to leave him, there wasn't much he could do.

"_If there is one thing I'm certain of right now, it is that I love you, Spencer Reid."_

~_She said she loves me. She'll be back as soon as the assignment is over. She'll be back in four weeks_, ~ Reid told himself, as he stuffed his hands into his pocket and headed back into the BAU.

Four weeks during which he knew that he would cling to those words.

"Thanks, I needed that," Amber said, as the conversation she'd been sharing with Wendy over the deli subs the older woman had picked up on her drive in came to a natural conclusion. "I really needed to talk to someone about Ralph and what he did to me. You would think I would have been over it after all these years," she said, as she left the kitchen table and moved to the nondescript and uncomfortable couch that furnished the small living quarters that the Coast Guard had furnished for her. "Yet, just the mention of his name and the thought that he did to those little girls what he had done to me years ago, and it seems like it happened yesterday."

"No one gets over something like that, Sweetie," Wendy said, as she sat down on the other end of the couch. Amber had called her on her drive to Atlantic City. As Wendy already had plans to travel south due to a potential job interview in the D.C. area, she had decided to take the detour to Atlantic City to see the young woman that she still considered her stepdaughter. "People move on, but you don't get over it and you have moved on. You've got a great career, and a good man in your life according to your father, which isn't an easy feat to manage. It's seldom a father thinks any man is good enough for their little girl."

Amber smiled. "Spencer is hard not to like once you take the time to get to know him. I really need to introduce the two of you sometime. I know you'd like him too."

"I'm sure I will," Wendy said. "If I get this position in Washington, I'm sure we'll be able to arrange a time for the three of us to get together."

"I didn't realize you were unhappy with your current job."

"I'm not. Not really," Wendy told her, trying to figure out how to put what she wanted to say into words. "It's just that your father and I have been talking about the possibility of giving us another try. It's never going to work with me in New York and him in the D.C. area and I know better than to expect him to leave the BAU. It's in his blood and part of who he is, that hasn't changed, though I think I've finally learned to accept it. If the two of us are going to make it work though, I know I need to be working too. To have a life apart from the one I share with him, because just sitting around worrying while he's who knows where chasing whatever monster is out there this time won't work. It didn't before and I've got no illusions it would be this time. Perhaps if I'd had a career or an interest outside of my relationship with your father, we could have stayed together. After you went back to Texas though, I felt alone and as if I had no purpose anymore."

"Then I am the reason you left him?" Amber asked, finally voicing the question she had been pondering all these years.

"Oh, honey, no. The problems your father and I had had nothing to do with you. We were having problems before you moved out East with us. Having you there though gave me a reason to stay. A reason to keep trying to make it work because I felt like I had a purpose. I enjoyed being a mother to you."

"Even with all the trouble I caused?"

"You were just being a typical teenager. A few parent/teacher conferences were to be expected. I don't recall you ever getting into any major trouble, for which I was thankful."

"I think you were the only one of my stepparents who ever actually took a genuine interest in me, Wendy, in a good way at least," a shiver going up her spine as Ralph came to mind again. That was the type of interest she could have done without. "I'm not sure I ever told you how much I appreciated that."

"You didn't tell me in words, but I knew," Wendy told her. A silence fell over the two women. Though she was sure the main thing on Amber's mind had been talking about the aftermath of what her step-father had done to her, Wendy got the feeling that there was something more. "Is there something else on your mind?"

Amber glanced at her former stepmother. Wendy had always been able to read her well. The older woman also was patient, asking questions, but never pushing an issue. Amber knew she could easily avoid the other issue on her mind, but knew that she really didn't want to.

"I'm thinking about not resigning with the Coast Guard when my contract is up at the end of October."

"Because of Spencer?"

"If you mean, because he wants me to, no, that's not the reason. Spencer has said he'd give up his career to follow me, if need be, and I know he would. I know Spencer loves me, but I guess I see now that he'd be giving up more than I would be, if I left the Coast Guard. He'd be leaving family behind, if he left the BAU. I already left my Coast Guard family behind, when I left Alaska. You can't help but form close bonds working in that environment, and I'm not going to find that anywhere else."

"So you're not happy with your career anymore?"

"No. I wouldn't say that. Working at Station Washington is just different. I enjoy it, but it's not the same as before."

"That's understandable. Why are you thinking of leaving the Coast Guard though?"

"Because more important than being happy at work, I'm happy where I am outside of work. My neighbors are great. The other agents at the BAU have accepted me with open arms. They're not just Spencer and Dad's co-workers. I consider them my friends, especially Penelope. I enjoy my work at the Y with the kids. I'm happy, here, and if I stay with the Coast Guard, then that isn't going to last. This temporary assignment here reminded me of this. If the Coast Guard needs me somewhere, I've got to go. That never bothered me when it was just me, but it's not the kind of life I want for any kids Spencer and I might have."

"Sounds to me like you thought this through."

"I have. It's just - it's a hard thing to actually go through with it. I mean I worked so hard to get here and to just walk away is hard."

"You're not just walking away, Honey. You're walking toward something else. You did something not many people can do - you're a female rescue swimmer with the Coast Guard. One of the elite. Nothing can take that from you. You've served for five years now and have saved who knows how many lives. If you want something else for your life then no one has the right to hold that against you. I know your guys' motto - 'So others may live'. You've lived up to that motto every day since you've graduated A school, so if now you choose to walk away so you can live your life, the only ones who have any right to criticize that decision are your fellow rescue swimmers, and somehow I don't think any of them would. You need to live your own life not do what you think others expect of you, and if your heart isn't in your career anymore, than you owe it to yourself to find out where you're supposed to be at this point of your life. Does that help any?"

Amber thought over the older woman's words. They made sense but then Wendy always had.

"Yes. Thank-you."

"One more thing, sweetie. Do me a favor, make sure you have something in your life that is separate from Spencer. He does seem like a great guy, but he isn't going to be in your life twenty-four seven. I know that from experience. The job, his friends, they're going to take him away from you at times and that doesn't mean he loves you any less, but make sure you've got something in your life to fill that space, whether it is teaching swimming or finding another job that doesn't require quite as much of your time. If you don't have something, you're going to end up resenting his job from taking him away from you so much of the time."

"Like you did?"

"Like I did," Wendy said with a nod and a sad smile.

Amber nodded. "I will. I do enjoy volunteering at the Y and I don't want to give that up and I still have my degree in computer science. Maybe I can find a job in that field."

"Almost sounds like you've made up your mind then?"

"Guess I have," Amber said. "I guess mostly I needed someone to help me see that I wasn't just quitting."

"Do you remember what your father told you when you wanted to stop playing softball, the first year you lived with us?"

Amber smiled, recalling the memory.

"_But I don't want to play softball. It isn't for me!"_

"_Fine. Then you don't have to play next season, but you will finish out this season. I didn't raise you to be a quitter."_

"_There are only two weeks left to the season. What difference does it make if I stop playing now?"_

"_The difference is that right now, you'd be quitting. You made a commitment to your team. It's important that you fulfill that commitment. Afterwards, deciding that you don't want to continue with something is your choice. You tried it and you didn't like it. That's fine, but now you need to finish what you started. Do you understand me?"_

"_Yes, sir."_

"I remember," Amber told her. "And I get what you're trying to tell me. As long as I finish out my current contract, I'm not walking away just choosing to take a different direction."

"Exactly."

"Thanks, Wendy," Amber said, moving over on the couch so that she could give the older woman a hug.


	10. Back in the Saddle

**_Coast Guard Air Station Atlantic City . . ._**

Lt. Amber Rossi put on her gear in the locker room at the air station, feeling nervous. It had been almost nine months since she had left Air Station Kodiak. Nine months since she had jumped from a helicopter to perform her duties as a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer. Now she was about to do that once again and she felt like she had her first mission out of A school. She still remembered everything she had been taught and knew that she could perform those duties once again. Until she made that first jump though, she knew this feeling of nervousness wouldn't go away.

Closing her locker, she headed out to the waiting helicopter. She was about to meet her flight crew for the next four weeks. Working with them wouldn't be a problem. They had all received the same training her flight crew in Kodiak had. If need be, they could go out on a real mission right now and do their duties, just like she and others had done down in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina had ravaged the city. At the same time, she was relieved that this was just a training mission. It took some of the pressure off.

As she approached the awaiting helicopter, she got a look at the three other members of her flight crew awaiting her. The three were chatting easily among themselves, and she couldn't tell if they were nervous like she was herself. As she approached, one of the three broke away from the group and headed in her direction. A smile lit up her face when she realized she knew the young man.

"Finney! I didn't expect to see you here," Amber said, as she threw her arms around her former flight mechanic. She had tried to stay in touch with her former crew that she had served with back in Kodiak, but life had gotten in the way of that. The last time she had talked to any of them had been a conversation with Commander Harris and that had been several months ago.

Petty Officer Dan Finney hugged his older comrade tightly. He had to admit that he had been the closest to Rossi of all his former crew mates, the woman having taken him under her wing and showing him the ropes when he had come to Kodiak. He was elated to have the opportunity to serve with her again.

"I transferred down here two months ago. Ali and I are making another go of it. I decided I wanted her in my life more than I want this career. I'll finish off my tour and then find a job in the civilian sector. I was lucky that a post opened up where I could be near her while I do that."

"I'm happy for you, Finney," Rossi said, as she took a step back from him. "Now how about introducing me to the other two," she said, nodding her head in the direction of the other two Coasties who were watching the reunion with interest.

"Sure thing, Lieutenant Rossi," Finney replied.

The two of them joined the other two members of the flight crew. Lieutenant Marvin Jiles was the pilot, having been serving in the Coast Guard for only a year longer than Amber had. Commander Todd Stricklin was copilot and ranking officer. Both welcomed their new rescue swimmer with firm handshakes.

"If they didn't tell you, our previous swimmer, Senior Chief Carl Gonzales, fractured his wrist during a rescue last week. A wave took him by surprise while rescuing the crew of a sinking ship during last Friday's storm. It was just one of those things that can happen no matter how well trained or focused you are on the task at hand, but then I'm sure I don't need to remind you of that Lt. having served in the Bering Sea. I know they get some pretty rough conditions up that way. I want you to know that, so that you aren't wondering what happened. Trusting each other is important, and for the next four weeks you're part of the flight crew. Your input into each mission is vital to the success especially as you're going to be the one entering the water," Commander Stricklin said, after introductions.

"Good to know, sir. You are aware that it has been some time since I've made a jump, right sir?"

"Yes I am Lieutenant, which is why I've also arranged for us to have use of a helicopter this afternoon for another training mission if need be, though from what I've been told by Gonzales once before, it's like riding a bike. Once you learn the skill, you don't ever forget it."

"Well, I definitely remember all the training I received back in A school, so I guess it's about time I get back on the bicycle," Lt. Rossi replied.

"Let's go then. The cutter who is setting up our 'victims'," Commander Strickling made quotation marks in the air with his fingers as he said the last word, "is already en route."

The four Coast Guard personnel boarded the waiting dolphin helicopter. Within minutes they were airborne and headed for the rendevous with the Coast Guard cutter.

"It's like old times, hey Lt.?" Finney asked, as the two sat facing each other in the cabin of the helicopter.

"That it is. Course the water is going to be a bit warmer here than it was up in Alaska."

"Yeah, definitely don't miss the weather in Kodiak," Finney said. The young Coastie observed his crew mate closely. "You nervous?" he asked after a few minutes.

"Is it that obvious?" Rossi asked.

"To me it is," Finney replied.

"I'll be fine once I get this first jump under my belt," Rossi replied as she looked out down at the quickly passing Atlantic ocean. Yes she was nervous, but now that she was actually up in the air, she couldn't deny she was feeling excitement at the prospect too. This was what she had trained to do.

As they approached the coordinates of the training exercise, Commander Stricklin got on the radio and began to give his crew the parameters of the training mission. There were two victims in the water, one in a life raft and one in open water. The victims were actually crew members of the Coast Guard cutter.

"We'll hoist the victim in the water first and the move on to the victim in the life raft," Stricklin said as the helicopter moved into position over the rescue area.

"Understood," Rossi replied.

"Opening cabin door," Finney announced.

Lt. Rossi moved toward the end of the cabin, preparing her equipment for the jump. When she was ready, she let Finney know.

"Swimmer ready for deployment," Finney announced.

"Deploy swimmer," Stricklin ordered.

Taking one final look at the water below, and the positions of the victims dressed in orange coast guard survival gear, Rossi prepared herself for the jump. Taking one final breath she pushed off the edge of the cabin and was soon plummeting toward the ocean below. Hitting the water, she was soon underneath the waves and she immediately started to kick for the surface. As heard head broke the surface of the waves, she felt the familiar surge of adrenaline that had always accompanied the jump. It didn't feel like she had been away from it at all. Signaling to Finney in the helicopter above that she was okay, Rossi quickly looked around to get her bearings. She spotted the orange life jacket of her victim off to her right, and immediately started swimming toward them.

* * *

><p>Lt. Amber Rossi was curled up on the couch in her living quarters, her well-worn copy of the <span>Last of the Mohicans<span> open in her hands. She had survived her first day back as a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer. The morning training session had gone off without a hitch, her three crew mates and herself quickly gelling into a smoothly operating unit. After the debriefing back at base, it was decided that the second training mission would not be necessary. So far, no actual calls for her flight crew had come in.

Despite work going well and the thrill of making that jump this morning, Amber couldn't deny that she missed Spencer and missed being in Washington. She remembered how she used to view LA and Caltech back when she was in school - as home. No other place had made her feel quite that way. Each place she had gone to after joining the Coast Guard had simply been a place she had lived. She wouldn't even claim LA as a home now. There wasn't anything there for her like there had been back then. She had long since came to the realization that the feeling of 'home' she had felt while in college hadn't been because of the place but because of the people she had shared it with.

Maria, Vince, Mark, Vanessa, and Chelsea had all been important people to her. Friends that accepted her just as she was - faults and all. There hadn't been any need to pretend with them because she knew, even if they had exchanged words, things would blow over and they'd hug in the end. She wasn't sure what Vanessa and Chelsea were up to nowadays as it had been years since she had spoken to them. She had kept in contact with Maria and Vince over the years, and through his sister, had kept tabs on Mark.

Maria and Alex had settled down in Arizona after Alex's career with the Arizona Cardinals had ended during his second season due to a knee injury. The knee had healed, though not well enough for him to play pro football. Alex was now coaching highschool football. Maria was working as a social worker in the area that Alex had taken the position for. The two had twin boys, Jake and Jackson, who were now three years old and terrors according to Maria. Amber could tell that mother and father wouldn't give up being parents for anything though, no matter how much mischief the twins got into.

As for Mark, he was still the NFL as a back-up quarter back for the Detroit Lions and still waiting to get a starting position. He remained optimistic that his day would come, and was happy to be playing the game in any role for the time being. He had met and married a girl a year and a half ago. Though Amber had received an invitation to the wedding, she hadn't been able to get away from Kodiak for the affair, though she had sent them a card and gift. Maria had informed her that his wife was a sweetheart.

As for Vince, she seemed to talk to him the most these days, the two exchanging frequent emails and a couple of phone calls each month. After graduating with his degree in engineering, Vince had floated around from job to job for a couple of years, not really sure what he wanted to do with his life. He had even gone on vacation in Europe for a month, visiting different countries, in what he claimed to be an attempt to clear his head. On returning from Europe, Vince had surprised everyone by applying to the FBI academy. Curious, Amber had asked him about his sudden interest in the FBI. Vince had simply stated that it was something he hadn't tried yet, and as he had always had an interest in true crime books and the work the FBI did he had decided to give it a shot. Vince had now been an agent for three years and was currently a member of SWAT with the field office in Birmingham, Alabama. He was enjoying his career though was still looking for the love of his life. Amber had long ago stopped trying to keep track of the name of the girls he was currently with. In that aspect, Vince reminded Amber of Morgan. Still, both guys had good hearts, and Amber knew that if they were to meet the right girl, both would be true to her.

The ringing of her cell phone interrupted her reading. Reaching over to the coffee table she saw Spencer's name on the screen. With one finger marking her place, she let the book closed and flipped the phone open.

"Hey! I'm glad you called."

"I didn't interrupt anything, did I?"

"What are you going to possibly interrupt? The place I'm staying makes my first apartment back in LA look absolutely posh," Amber replied. "I was just spending the evening reading. I was going to call you later."

"Yeah, guess I broke first then. I needed to hear your voice," Spencer said. Amber could hear the longing in her fiancee's voice.

"I miss you, too. It's just four weeks though and then I'll be back home," Amber told him, the feeling of homesickness increasing. Still, she felt like she needed to stay upbeat for Spencer's sake.

"For how long?"

"What?"

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that. Guess I'm just feeling lonely and a bit sorry for myself."

"If you're feeling lonely why don't you give one of the team a call."

"I sort of blew them all off already," Spencer admitted. "Morgan, Garcia, Emil and JJ all asked me to do something with them tonight and I told them no. Kind of wish I hadn't now."

"Call them and tell them you changed your mind then."

"No. I'll be okay," Spencer told her. "Hearing your voice has cheered me up a little bit."

"Care to tell me what you meant by asking for how long?"

"You and your father are a lot alike," Spencer replied with a small laugh. "Neither of you let anything slide."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Amber told him, opening the book to glance at the page number, before closing it. "So, are you going to answer my question," she asked, placing the book on the coffee table, and not falling for his attempt to change the subject again.

Spencer sighed. "I guess this has just reminded me that the Coast Guard isn't going to leave you at Station Washington forever. I know I said I'd follow you wherever they post you, and I meant it but I guess I've gotten comfortable with things the way they are. This has made me start wondering if I should start looking into other options."

"Don't go rushing things, Spencer. This is a temporary assignment. Four weeks and I'll be back in Washington."

"At least until another assignment comes in."

"I'm considering not re-signing when my contract is up at the end of October."

"What? The Coast Guard was your dream. It's exactly what you wanted to be doing."

"It was and I've done it. Now I'm starting to think that life has something else in store for me."

"I'm not letting you give up your dream for me."

"But it's okay for me to let you give up your dream. To walk away from your family," Amber countered.

"Amber I need you in my life. I'm willing to give up everything for that."

"I know you would. It's one of the things I love about you, Spencer, you want those around you to be happy. Yes, there was a time that I wouldn't have thought I could be happy without the Coast Guard in my life, but that has changed now. I'm happy in D.C. I'm happy being near my Dad and what is most important, I'm happy being with you."

"You trained and worked so hard to get to where you're at though."

"And you haven't," Amber countered. She heard Spencer start to protest further. "Look Spencer, whether I resign or not with the Coast Guard is my decision but it does affect both of us. However, perhaps we should table this discussion until we can talk in person."

"Okay," he agreed reluctantly. "So, how did your first day go?"

"It went well," Amber told him. She thought of Commander Stricklin's comment about Gonzales' comparison of making a jump to riding a bicycle. "Seems like jumping from helicopters is like riding a bicycle, once you learn it you don't forget how to do it."

"Riding a bicycle isn't that easy and somehow jumping from a helicopter seems a whole lot harder. I sure wouldn't do it."

"Took me forever to get you on a bicycle too."

"I'm not voluntarily jumping from a helicopter, plane or anything else with or without a parachute, bungee cord or any other contraptions people have come up with. Did you know that . . ."

"Whoa, hold up. I don't need injury statistics or anything of the like. That's not the type of information I want in the back of my head the next time I have to go make a jump. I don't need that kind of distraction."

"Sorry."

"No problem," Amber told him, glad to have headed off a bout of statistics that she really didn't need to hear. She knew what she did was risky, but she didn't want to know the exact numbers on just how risky it was. "You'll never believe whom I ran into up here," she told him, ready to change the subject. She had talked about her flight crew from Kodiak enough that she knew Spencer would remember who Finney was.

* * *

><p>At six o'clock on Friday evening, Dr. Spencer Reid pulled his car in behind David Rossi's SUV. Feeling nervous, he pulled the keys out of the ignition, and got out of the car.<p>

Friday night dinner's at Agent Rossi's house with Amber and the older agent, whenever Reid and Rossi weren't out on a case, had become a ritual over the past three months. With Amber out of town, Reid wasn't sure if the older agent would be expecting him or not. He had thought about asking him at work about tonight or calling before coming over, but something had held Reid back. Deep down, the young genius had just been afraid to hear his future father-in-law say that the dinner was off. With Amber away in Atlantic City, Reid wanted something of the familiar routine to hold onto. He figured even if Rossi wasn't expecting him, sending him away when he was standing on his front porch would be a bit harder to do than canceling before hand.

Feeling only slightly less nervous than when he had shown up to ask David Rossi for permission to ask Amber to marry him, Spencer Reid made his way up the steps of the porch. Crossing the wooden structure, he quickly rang the doorbell before he lost his nerve to do so. It wasn't long before David Rossi was opening the door.

"Spencer, I wasn't sure if you were coming tonight or not. Come on in," David said, stepping aside to let Reid step into the house.

Mudgie, having followed his owner to the door, let out a low growl as he watched Reid carefully, the old hunting dog having yet to warm up to the young genius.

"Mudgie, quit that," Rossi scolded, in a firm tone. "Go lay down," he added, pointing a finger toward the living room.

The chocolate lab gave a final low growl as he turned and obediently left the room.

"Sorry about that. I would have thought he would have warmed up to you by now," Rossi said, as he shut the door behind Reid.

"That'll never happen."

"I wasn't sure if you were going to show up tonight or not, but dinner is almost done," Rossi said, as he motioned for Reid to follow him. The elder profile headed toward the kitchen as he spoke.

"I probably should have asked about tonight, but I needed something to feel normal," Reid admitted, as he started to follow Rossi through the house. He hadn't taken to many steps when a grey cat suddenly appeared and rubbed up against his legs. Reid paused long enough to pick the Persian up.

"You and me both, Son" Rossi replied.

Holding the cat close, Reid continued to follow Dave. "Have you missed me, Nero?" he asked the Persian, who responded by rubbing the top of his head against Reid's chin as Reid stroked his back with the hand which wasn't holding the cat.

"Well, a least one of my pets likes you," Rossi commented as he glanced over his shoulder as they entered the kitchen. "Though like I said before, you and Amber are welcome to take that furry menace."

Reid smiled at the older man's grumbles. "Don't listen to him, Nero. He would miss you if you were gone," he told the cat.

Rossi chose not to reply to that statement knowing deep down that Reid was probably right. He waved a hand toward the kitchen table, which was already set for two. "As you can see, I was hoping you'd drop in for dinner," he said instead.

With that admission, Reid felt the nervousness dissipate despite his mixed feeling about the term son. It wasn't that he had a problem with Rossi calling him that, as the older profiler had more often since Colorado, as it let him know that Rossi had accepted his relationship with Amber. At the same time though, he couldn't seem to bring himself to use any form of the word father when it came to Rossi. It wasn't that he didn't think of Rossi in that light. Deep down, he knew he did. He had long since moved past the hero worship and fear he had of the legendary profiler when Rossi had first joined the team. That wasn't to say he didn't still look up to the man, because he did in a lot of ways, but he was comfortable around him now. Still, he couldn't bring himself to call him Dad in any way. Not yet, anyways.

At times, Reid wondered if he would even be able to after he and Amber were married. He hadn't had a lot of luck with father figures in his life. His real father had walked out of his life when he was a child, leaving him alone with a mother who at times needed him more than he needed her. Needing to be strong for her and going to school with kids older than him and who resented him because he was different, had forced him to grow up quickly. Then there had been Gideon, who had quickly taken on the role of a mentor and father figure when he had joined the BAU. In the end, Gideon had left with only a letter of good-bye, just as his own father had done. Part of Reid worried that if he started looking at David Rossi in that light, then the elder profiler would walk out of his life just as they had done.

"Have you talked to Amber recently?" Reid asked as he placed Nero down on the floor. The cat happily bounded away, satisfied with the attention he had received. The young genius moved to the kitchen sink to wash his hands.

Rossi had opened the oven and was checking on the baked ziti. Deciding that it was done, he grabbed the oven mitts off the counter. "I was talking to her this afternoon," he said as he retrieved the ziti from the oven. "Her flight crew had a tough call this morning. A man went overboard off of a fishing vessel and despite the Coast Guards efforts, they couldn't locate him," he continued as he placed the hot pan in the middle of the table. Rossi went to grab the plate of garlic bread and the salad from the counter, as he continued talking. "She was trying to put it in perspective but I know it was bothering her. It's hard not to let something like that get to you."

Rossi placed the bowl and plate next to the ziti and both him and Reid took their places at the table. The two bowed their heads, Rossi saying a quick grace before they started filling their plates.

"Has she told you that she's considering not re-signing when her current contract is up?" Reid asked, wondering if she had confided in her father that bit of news or not.

"No, but it doesn't surprise me," Rossi confessed, stabbing some ziti with his fork.

"It doesn't?" Reid asked, unable to keep the surprise out of his voice.

Rossi shook his head. "One thing that's a guarantee with the service branches is that you're not going to spend your entire career at one base and you go where they want you too. Amber knew that going in, and I know at the time it didn't bother her, but since she's been here in the D.C. area and back with you, I've seen the change in her. I can tell that she's content where she's at. I haven't seen that in my daughter since she was in college and dating you."

"I don't want her giving up her dreams for me," Reid told him.

"But you think that she wants you to give up your dreams for her?" Rossi questioned.

"No, but one of us is eventually going to have to and I promised her I would the night I proposed."

"And I'm sure that means a lot to her. It was something I was never able to do," Rossi admitted. "Maybe if I had, one of my marriages would have worked," he added, with a slight shrug of his shoulders. "What we want in life changes though."

"I just want Amber in my life."

"Then does it really matter which one of you gives up their career to make that happen?" Rossi questioned. "If you're both happy here, then doesn't it make sense for you both to stay in this area?"

Rossi picked up his piece of garlic bread and took a bite. As he chewed, he kept his eye on Reid across the table from him. The younger man was moving his food around the plate more than anything else and looked to be lost in thought.

"I guess you have a point, but do you really think she's happy here?" Reid finally asked.

"I know my daughter, and I know she's happy here. She enjoys her work at the Y. She fits in well with the members of the team. It's almost scary how well Amber and Garcia get along. I'm afraid of what those two could do together when it comes to computers. And of course, her old man is nearby so why wouldn't she be happy living in the area?" Rossi replied, adding that last bit in an attempt to lighten the mood up a little. Across the table from him, Reid didn't even crack a smile. "Not to mention, that daughter of mine doesn't do anything she doesn't really want to do. If that were the case, she wouldn't have been in Coast Guard to begin with seeing as her mother was dead set against it."

"But all that training she went through to get to where she's at . . ." Reid said, with a shake of his head.

"You've put a lot into getting to where you're at too."

"Yeah, but I just barely got through the FBI academy. There is no way I'd ever survive basic training or what she's gone through to be a rescue swimmer."

"You and me both," Rossi admitted, knowing he would never have the nerve to voluntarily jump from a helicopter. "Spencer don't fret about it. If Amber is talking about not signing up for another term then it's a decision that she has thought through, not one she's making lightly, though perhaps the two of you should talk about it more if you're so uneasy about the situation."

"She said she wanted to hold off until we could talk face to face."

"Sounds reasonable to me," Rossi told him.

Reid nodded. The conversation hit a lull, the two of them eating in silent for a few minutes. Then, as was often the case when the two of them were alone, Reid started asking Rossi questions about previous work he had done in the BAU. Rossi was more at ease with the younger agent's questions nowadays, and had even finally told Reid about Ruby Ridge, the subject that had been brought up and dismissed in Montana, not long after Rossi had come back to the bureau.


	11. Doubts in Paradise

_**AN: I want to thank-you all for your patience with updates for this story. I know it's been slow but I sort of got stuck on a future chapter for awhile, but I'm past that point and have a rough outline for the rest of the story so here's hoping things go slower. Thanks to all my readers and I appreciate every review, story and favorite alert that I get.**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>2 weeks, 3 days later - Start of the episode "Paradise" . . .<strong>_

Though it was Monday and it was getting late, there were still quite a few people on the sixth floor that housed the BAU. Like Reid and his colleagues, they were hard at work on things related to either current cases or cases that they had recently finished up.

Dr. Spencer Reid didn't mind working late, as it kept his mind occupied which meant he wasn't dwelling on how much he missed Amber or the past weekend that he had spent up in New Jersey with her. Instead of helping, Reid felt that the visit had only made things worse. It reminded him how much he missed his fiancé and despite her statement that she missed him too, he couldn't deny that she seemed comfortable where she was at. It had seemed like she had been at Air Station Atlantic City longer than the three weeks that she had been there. The prospect of her leaving the Coast Guard had not been brought up and Reid couldn't help but feel that she had probably changed her mind.

~_And not only will she want to re-sign, but she'll be looking for a permanent assignment as a rescue swimmer again_,~ Reid thought, as he left Hotch's office having dropped off the reports he had finished.

That realization hadn't really bothered him. As he had told Dave a few weeks ago, he had made her the promise that he would follow wherever her career took her, so that they could share their lives together. He knew he would be giving up a lot to do that - a career he enjoyed despite all the bad things that surrounded it and co-workers that not only accepted him for who he was but had become family. Yet, Amber was worth it. As long as he had her, he was going to be okay. As for a job, he knew he would have no trouble finding something else if there was no FBI office close enough to make transferring feasible, after all he had turned down a number of offers over the years. No, it would be nothing like this job, but it would suffice.

What had bothered him was the fact that Amber seemed to be distancing herself from him all weekend. She hadn't been her normal, laid back, easy going self. He had thought she might not be feeling well, but she had insisted that she was fine. When he had asked if something was bothering her she had denied it. Still, Spencer Reid couldn't shake the feeling that something hadn't been right this past weekend.

As he walked down the steps into the bullpen, he thought about the quiet townhouse that was waiting for him. He really didn't want to go back to it, knowing that once he stepped inside those four walls, his mind would invariably start replaying every second of this past weekend. He would spend the night overanalyzing things and making himself crazy. Home was definitely the last place he wanted to go right now.

As he approached his desk he knew he had one shot at avoiding doing just that.

"Hey, if you guys are hungry, I know a pretty good Indian restaurant that is open all night," Reid said to his two co-workers.

"Oh, I can't," Prentiss said, as she packed things up for the night. "I have a date."

"You have a date?" Morgan asked incredulously looking at the time. "With who?"

"Hot tub."

"Ah, now that sounds like a party," Morgan replied lightly.

"You're so not invited," Emily replied, with a smile and a shake of her head.*

Reid smiled at his co-workers exchange despite the fact that it seemed like his hopes of avoiding home for a bit longer were fading. Before another word could be exchanged between the trio a fourth voice chimed in.

"Hold up guys," JJ said.

"Change of plans," Reid said softly as all three profilers watched the approach of their blonde teammate. He had a feeling he would be avoiding the quiet townhouse for a bit longer tonight though it wouldn't be because of Indian food.

Despite how early her alarm was set, Amber Rossi still woke up before the device went off. She was more than just up in fact, she was wide awake and sitting on the edge of the bed. In her hands she held the box that she had picked up at the pharmacy the night before containing the pregnancy test. The pregnancy that Will, of all people, had convinced her to go out and buy.

"_You need to find out for sure so that you can make the decisions that you need to make. It's scary, I get that, but unless you find out for sure you are going to drive yourself crazy wondering."_

Amber wasn't sure why she had confided in the former New Orleans police officer. Sure, their friendship had come along way since he had spent the night with her during the hostage situation out in Colorado but she had never thought he would be the one she would turning to in this type of situation. For starters, he was a guy. Secondly, both Maria and Penelope were closer friends and women. Yet, she knew that both of them wouldn't be able to get past their excitement over the news and excited was the last thing she felt right now. Even now, after going out and buying the pregnancy test, she was debating whether she wanted to use it or not. She was only about a week late. ~_It could mean nothing_,~ she told herself, not really believing it.

It wasn't just the worry about what people at church or her grandmother would say. After all, she and Spencer were already living together, which was not in keeping with the Catholic faith. Amber had come to terms with that decision within herself, as well as with the physical aspect of their relationship, a long time ago and that was not the foremost thing on her mind. Yes, people would talk, but she didn't care. She knew she loved Spencer and that she planned on spending the rest of her life with him, it was just making that final commitment that was scaring her due to the relationship issues of her parents. No, what had her more worried was Spencer's reaction if she was actually pregnant.

They had talked about having kids several times since the day they had spent at the zoo with Aaron and Jack. In fact, to Amber it seemed like they had the same conversation every time with very little variation. Spencer was adamant that he wasn't ready for them to have kids. That he was concerned about passing the genes for schizophrenia, the disease that his mother suffered from, onto kids.

It wasn't that Amber didn't understand his uneasiness. She realized that with the disease in Spencer's family, it increased the risks of any children they might have developing it, especially if Spencer had the disease himself, a possibility that could still develop. However, Amber didn't care about that. Just like she wanted Spencer in her life, despite that chances that he may or may not develop schizophrenia, she knew she wanted kids and would love those children no matter what. She didn't believe in living her life controlled by what ifs. Amber just wished she could make Spencer see things from her point of view. There were no guarantees when it came to having a baby. Even perfectly healthy parents could have a child with some disease or disability. That was life and if everybody played it safe, not having a kid because of what disease or disability the baby might have, the human race would die out pretty quickly. That was the one argument that Spencer hadn't been able to fire statistics back at her for.

~_I'll wait one more day_,~ Amber told herself, opening the top draw of the night stand, and dropping the unopen pregnancy test inside.

The decision made for the next twenty-four hours, Amber got to her feet and headed for the bathroom to get ready for the day. At least work would give her something to do. Something to focus on other than the issue of the late period.

The jet was quiet. Despite the time when they had wrapped up the case, Hotch had decided for the team to leave Nevada immediately. It would mean they would arrive back in Quantico after daylight had broke on the East coast. Hotch had told them they would have the day off, a prospect that Reid wasn't exactly looking forward too. Finding something to do to occupy his time for the day so that he wasn't thinking about Amber and what might be going on was going to be hard.

Reid still couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong with their relationship. Yes she had called the last couple of days while he was on this case, though tonight he'd had to let the voicemail pick-up. Listening to the message she had left him was the first thing he had done upon boarding the jet, ignoring Morgan's jokes about checking in with the little woman. She had simply said she was sorry to have missed him, that she loved him, and she'd talk to him soon. Her voice had sounded upbeat but there was a strain to it. Given everything, he couldn't shake the feeling that he was losing Amber.

The weekend kept playing through his head as did all the conversations he'd had with her over the past week or so. He kept trying to figure out if he had said or done something that would have upset his fiancee. Nothing came to mind no matter how many times he went over things. The only subject he could think of that was even a point of contention between them was having children and it wasn't like he had told her he didn't want to have kids. He just wasn't ready for that yet. Their relationship was still new and they were still trying to figure it out. The drama surrounding setting a date for the wedding was a case in point. He wanted this relationship to work but the last week or so he had found himself wondering if Amber wanted the same thing anymore.

Looking toward the front of the plane, he saw that he wasn't the only one awake. Sitting by himself, Hotch had paperwork in front of him, though even from where he was sitting, it didn't look like the unit chief was working on it. Getting to his feet, he made his way past the rest of his sleeping teammates to where the older man was sitting. At the sound of the footsteps, Hotch looked up from the papers in front of him.

"Can I help you with something?" Hotch asked lightly, taking in the thoughtful, worried expression that graced his youngest agent's face.

"Can we talk?" Reid asked quietly.

In response, Hotch waved a hand toward the seat across from him. As Reid sank down into the chair, Hotch put the papers back into the folder they had come out of. Placing the file off to the side, Hotch leaned back in his seat and gazed across the table at the younger man.

Reid sat slumped in the chair, his fingers idly playing with the end of the tie he still wore. It took a few moments for the younger man to finally find the courage to speak.

"You don't need to answer if you don't want to, I realize that what I'm about to ask is really personal, but I was wondering if Haley had . . . I mean, was there any indication that she was going to leave before she actually left?"

Hotch knew the surprise he felt was evident on his face. This definitely wasn't the topic he had expected the younger man to bring up. He hadn't spoken much to any of his teammates, not even Rossi, about Haley leaving, though he had probably admitted more to the young man sitting across from him than to anyone else.

"_What I want, I'm not going to get."_

He had told Reid that as they drove back from the unsuccessful interview with Chester Hardwick. ~_And it was me that brought up the topic of my relationship with Haley that time_,~ Hotch thought. He gazed at the young man across from him, looking down at his tie now rather than across at him. He knew there was more to the question than what came across at first. That this wasn't just idle curiosity or a ploy to get him to talk about his troubles with his now ex-wife.

"It's okay, you don't have to answer," Reid said, assuming from the silence that followed his question that Hotch didn't want to talk about the subject.

"No, I was just trying to decide how to answer the question. I guess in hindsight the signs were there. Haley had increasingly showed frustration with the time that I spent with the job and she was excited about the prospect of me taking a nine to five job. I guess that in itself should have told me what her reaction would be to me going back to the BAU."

"Yet you came to Milwaukee to help with the case."

"The team needed me," Hotch replied, easily. "I don't regret that decision. We didn't know what was going on with Gideon, Prentiss had put in her resignation which meant you guys were three agents down trying to solve that case. It wasn't the job that I came to Milwaukee for, it was the team. I couldn't in good conscious leave you all hanging like that. Haley didn't understand that."

"Would you do things differently if you knew what you do now?" Reid asked.

Hotch pondered the question for a few moments before he finally spoke the answer. "I don't know. As much as I love Haley, I don't know that I could be happy changing who I am for her and yes, this job is part of who I am."

As Hotch finished speaking he studied the young man across the table from him closely. He knew it was time that he asked his own question.

"What's this about, Reid? Is there something going on with you and Amber?"

"Possibly."

"Possibly?" Hotch asked, confused by the answer. "What is that suppose to mean?"

"Things just didn't seem right when I went to visit her this past weekend. She seemed distant and preoccupied. When I first noticed it, I put it off as being from the lack of personal connection as we were only talking on the phone, but," Reid paused, trying to decide just how to voice what he was trying to say. "But when I went to visit her this weekend it still felt that way. Like even though we were together she wasn't really with me, if that makes any sense? It's kind of hard to explain."

"I think I know what you mean," Hotch said, thinking over the younger man's words and his own before continuing. "Perhaps she wasn't feeling well, or had a tough day in the field. You know her job can be just as stressful as ours."

"I know. I even asked, and she said everything was fine. Hotch, what if she's found someone else up there, maybe even another Coast Guard officer?"

"Reid, I think you're overreacting," Hotch replied, wanting to try calming the younger man down. Reid had a tendency to over think some of the simplest things, and the senior profiler had no doubt that the younger man had come up with quiet a few different scenarios. _~Most likely all of them worst case scenarios,~ _Hotch told himself, as he chose his next words. "Don't go jumping to conclusions without supporting evidence," he finally said, his mind thinking to the time right before Haley had left him when the house phone had rung, and when he answered it there was only a soft click on the other end. Immediately, Haley's cell had rang. He hadn't questioned her about it, part of him not wanting to know. Now, it didn't really matter. "Has she said anything about wanting to break up?"

Reid shook his head in response to the question.

"Has she talked a lot about any one person?"

"Not really. She did meet up with a member of her flight crew from Kodiak that she's talked about. We even spent time with him while I was up there, but he's engaged himself. Planning to quit the Coast Guard to be with his fiancee as soon as his current contract is served so I don't think I need to worry about him."

"Probably not," Hotch agreed. "In fact, I doubt you have to worry about anyone. I've seen the two of you together. It's easy to see how much you love one another.

"But . . ."

"Spencer, I think its safe to say the last month or so has been rough for the both of you. A lot has happened. The whole incident with Cyrus, Amber's mother getting married again, the case in Bryan bringing up old, painful memories for both Amber and Dave, and her assignment to Atlantic City. Amber will be back in D.C. in less than a week. I think you need to just stay calm and let your lives settle back down, and then try to evaluate where the relationship is at. You might just find that you have nothing to worry about after all."

"And if that isn't the case? The BAU isn't exactly well known for solid marital relationships. Dave has been married three times, Max Ryan found himself alone after he retired, and Gideon's wife left him. That's five failed marriages."

"Six if you count my marriage with Haley."

"I wasn't going to bring that one up," Reid said quietly.

"Look, I can't say what happened with the others' relationships but I can tell you that there are agents in the FBI and the BAU in particular that have worked out, even if you're not aware of them. I think the problem with me and Haley was that she didn't understand the nature of the job. She grew up with a stay at home mom and a father who was a successful banker, who for the most part worked nine to five. Haley was all about family and that's what she wanted out of life. That's what she thought she was getting when we got married. Out of high school I had no intentions of working for the FBI. My goals were set on being a lawyer, like my father. Haley and I got married the summer before I started law school. Sometimes, I don't think I ever would have gotten through law school without her support," Hotch admitted, a smile coming to his face as he recalled those happier times.

"She even supported my decision of going through the FBI Academy. Cheerfully went along with the move out to Seattle and then back here to Virginia. It was after I joined the BAU that she started slowly voicing her displeasure in the long hours I put in."

"The long hours are a part of the job that we all have to face," Reid commented solemnly.

"But it's different with you and Amber. That's what I was trying to get across. Amber grew up with a father in the BAU. She knows exactly what the job entails as well as knowing what it means to have a job that requires long and strange hours from working with the Coast Guard. However, the most important difference is that Amber knows what she's in for up front. She said yes to marrying you despite what she knows about this job. I think if I had been with the BAU before Haley and I were married, she never would have gone through with it."

"One of us is eventually going to have to give up our careers in order for us to stay together," Reid commented.

Hotch nodded, knowing the truth in the younger agent's words. "Are you willing to make that sacrifice?"

Reid nodded. "I promised her I would back when I proposed," he replied. "Now she's talking about leaving the Coast Guard."

"Definitely doesn't sound like someone who is planning on leaving."

"I don't want her to have to give up her career for me."

"Amber probably feels the same way but like you said, one of you will have to. Perhaps she's making the decision that she feels will be the best one for the two of you in the long run. If you left the BAU Spencer, you'd be walking away from more than just a job."

"I know and leaving all of you wouldn't be easy but I love Amber."

Hotch nodded. "We understand that and I think I can safely say that no one on the team is going to make things any harder on you than it already will be if you did decide to leave. That's a decision that you and Amber need to make together, and decide what will be best for the two of you in the long run. Just keep in mind that priorities and dreams can change. Don't just assume that her career with the Coast Guard still has the same priority it did when the two of you were in college. Look at Dave. One of the reasons that he walked away from this the first time was that he wanted to share more of his daughter's life while she was in high school and college. I got plenty of updates during those years about how she was doing in swim meets and schools. For that point in his life, that was what he needed to be doing, and now he's back in the BAU. I guess what I'm trying to say is that Amber might not view it as giving her career up for you but as doing what is best for the life the two of you are going to build together."

Spencer remained quiet as he contemplated every word his superior had just said to him, his memory allowing him to replay the words. Seeing the thoughtful look on the younger agent's face, Hotch remained quiet. He waited a few moments, but when Reid's gaze drifted to the window, Hotch knew the young genius was definitely lost in his own thoughts. Picking up the file in front of him, he returned to what he had been working on before Reid had come seeking his advice.

~_I only hope that what I said to him helps,_~ Hotch mused. ~_After all, I'm not exactly a good example at making a marriage work anymore.~_

_*Dialogue taken from the episode "Paradise"_


	12. The Darkness Creeps In

**AN: Thanks to those who are still reading this story and especially to the few who took the time to review my last chapter. I appreciate you all. Also, thanks to GreekEMTSlytherinSpriteFairy for looking this and the previous chapter over before I posted it. Appreciate you doing so and giving me your opinion on other things I need feedback for.**

**Also: The final ballot for the 2011 Profiler's Choice Criminal Mind Awards is up at Chit Chat on Author's Corner. The story that launched this story - "Careless Man's Careful Daughter" has been nominated in both the_ Best OC Driven_ and _Best Rossi/Reid categories_. I would appreciate your vote for it as well as my other stories that made the final ballot: **

_**Best Drama: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best MorganReid: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best Overall Fic: Eternal Changes<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best Characterization of Spencer Reid: Eternal Changes<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best TeamCase Fic: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best EmilyMorgan: Notorious**_  
><em><strong>Best Characterization of Derek Morgan: Silent Cries<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best GarciaReid: Sparks**_

**There are other great authors and great stories in these and other categories so if you have the time show your appreciation for the author's who work hard to bring you these stories. Voting is open until November 30th!**

* * *

><p>Once again, Reid listened to Amber's voice mail pick up. He hadn't been able to reach her so far this evening and despite his conversation with Hotch in the early hours of the previous days, he was still worried. She was supposed to come home next Wednesday, but part of him was still waiting to hear that she had decided to stay at the air station for whatever reason. He disconnected the call without leaving a message.<p>

Tossing the phone down on the coffee table, Reid fell back onto the couch behind him. Covering his hands with his face, he let out a sigh of frustration.

~_Maybe I shouldn't have cancelled on Dave. At least if I had eaten at his place, I wouldn't be driving myself crazy_, ~ the young genius thought, as he slowly ran his fingers back through his hair. He was on the verge of feeling like he wanted to pull his hair out as he thought of every person Amber could possibly be out with and who could blame her really. He was just some awkward, skinny, socially inept guy who happened to know things that normal people wouldn't nor would they care to. ~_I was a fool to think I could keep her._~

Sitting on the couch, he was all too aware of how big and empty the townhouse he shared with Amber was. Even the lights he had on didn't chase away the shadows that crept in from the other rooms. He suddenly missed the coziness of the apartment he had given up.

~_The house is really Amber's. Where am I going to go if she suddenly decides that she doesn't want to see me anymore? _~ Reid thought, his mind automatically going to the worst case scenario. ~_I suppose Morgan would let me crash at his place until I found another place, or even JJ though I don't really want to impose on her and Will given everything going on in their lives._~

Looking around the room, Reid suddenly felt like the walls were closing in on him. Feeling like it was hard to breathe, he reached up and tore at the tie he wore, loosening it. Even that didn't help him any. He needed out of the house. The genius wasn't sure where he was going to go but the house was just too quiet and confining. He needed to get out of there. He needed to escape.

Getting to his feet, Reid reached out and snagged his cell phone from the coffee table. Shoving it into his pocket as he walked toward the front door, he had absolutely no idea where he was going to go. The only thing the FBI agent was sure of, was that he needed to get out of the house. Away from the walls that were closing in on him and the memories that he was sure would soon become just that - distant memories.

Leaving the house, he walked down the steps and down the driveway, past his old, beat-up, light-blue Ford that he seldom drove. He had always found public transportation to be the least stressful way to travel, probably from growing up in Las Vegas, and getting into the car didn't even cross his mind. Reid headed down the road toward the nearby bus stop, with absolutely no destination in mind. He just knew he had to get away from that house. He needed to escape.

_~A fix will allow you to completely escape everything_, ~ a voice in the back of his mind said. He hadn't heard that little voice in quite awhile and Reid wanted it to go away.

~_I don't need drugs. They only mask things and in the long run everything is worse_, ~ the rational part of his head argued as he continued down the street, his long strides quickly covering ground. ~_I just need some time out of the house. A chance to clear my head._~

~_Dilaudid will do just that_, ~ the tiny voice whispered. ~_Just a little bit, and all your worries will be out of mind._~

~_Until the high passes and I come crashing back to reality_, ~ the rational voice countered.

"Wonderful, I'm silently arguing with myself," Reid muttered as he reached the bus stop. Leaning against the side of the bus stop, he ran one hand back through his hair. _~Is this how it started for Mom? _~ Reid questioned, gazing down the street even as he wondered when the next bus would be coming. He wasn't even sure what time it was.

Glancing down at his watch, he recalled the bus scheduled. The next bus would come by in ten minutes. Not that he knew where he wanted to go once he got on it.

~_Call Morgan_, ~ the rational voice said.

~_It's Friday night. You're the last person he wants to hear from. You know what you really want to do. Know what will make you feel like you really want to feel._~

Standing there, Reid knew which voice was giving him the better advice. However, as his thoughts started to drift back to Amber and all the scenarios he had been coming up with back at the house, the tiny voice in the back of his head started winning the war. Morgan wouldn't want to hear from him. He had already cancelled on Dave, so calling his future father-in-law was out too. Somehow calling the elder profiler and telling him that he needed some company was too hard for him to actually go through with giving the situation and besides, Rossi had probably figured out his own way to occupy the evening.

By the time that the bus pulled up to the stop, Reid had made up his mind. He wanted to escape more than anything else. He would deal with the consequences later. As he boarded the bus, he had decided on a destination.

* * *

><p>The deck of the fishing vessel Windstorm, illuminated by the ship's on deck lights, was quickly getting closer as Lt. Rossi made her decent from the helicopter. Even now she could make out the anxious faces of the crew as smoke billowed out from where the engine room was located. A cutter was on the way to make an attempt of dealing with the fire. Lt. Rossi's and her crew's priority was to evacuate the crew of the vessel in case the fire couldn't be dealt within time to save the ship. Casting a glance at the billowing smoke, the Coast Guard Lieutenant didn't have much faith in that happening.<p>

As her feet made contact with the deck, Lt. Rossi signaled to Finney in the helicopter above that she was down. Though there was slack in the cable, she could tell that they had stopped lowering it. The Coast Guard rescue swimmer undid the metal carabineer securing her to the cable and made another hand gesture. Slowly, the cable started its upward ascent.

Lt. Rossi turned her attention to the three fishermen gathered around her, trying to make an assessment of their condition. Though they were all covered with soot, there didn't appear to be in major injuries among them.

"Are any of you hurt?" Rossi asked.

"Some bumps and bruises, and Jake has some minor burns to his hands," the oldest looking fisherman said, speaking up. He gestured to a young fisherman that looked to be maybe twenty at the most. "Jake's the one that found the fire and he was trying to put it out, but it was already too far along."

Rossi nodded, having taken a step toward Jake even as his shipmate was speaking. Examining the young fisherman's hands, the burns looked to be only first degree. Still, the quicker they could get him to the hospital the better. Glancing up toward, the helicopter, she saw that the crew had started lowering the basket down.

"We're going to send you up first, Jake" Lt. Rossi said told him. "We'll have medics waiting on the scene when we get back to base, but those burns don't look too serious."

Jake nodded, the relief at hearing that news evident on his face.

Rossi glanced back up. "Anyone else onboard?" she asked those gathered around her as she kept her eyes on the descending basket that would soon be within her reach.

"Just the captain. He's still up in the wheelhouse," the same fisherman as before answered.

Lt. Rossi nodded in acknowledgment as she put her hands up, ready to grab a hold of the descending basket. The first priority would be to evacuate the fishermen on deck and then go up to the wheelhouse and convince the captain to finally leave his ship, which she knew would not be easy. She grabbed a hold of the basket, stopping its swinging motion and guiding it safely to the deck of the Windstorm.

Taking out her radio out of its protective pouch, she informed her flight crew members above of the situation and the evacuation plan. After receiving Commander Stricklin's confirmation, she put the radio away and motioned Jake over to her. Assisting the young fisherman into the basket, she was soon signaling to Finney in the cabin doorway of the helicopter that they were ready to begin bringing the basket up. The cable slowly tightened and soon the basket was rising from the deck.

The process was continued for each of the fishermen. As the basket rose from the deck for the third time, Lt. Rossi headed across the deck of the boat. It was time to convince the captain that he had no choice but to abandon ship for now. His crew was safe and his life was not worth trying to save the vessel. She had every intention of not leaving that wheelhouse without the captain, even if that meant she knocked the guy out and drag him out to the deck.

It wasn't long before she was reaching the top of the steps leading to the wheelhouse. Stepping up from the last step, Lt. Rossi saw the fishing vessel's captain standing at the wheel. As he didn't look in her direction, Rossi wasn't even sure that he had heard her arrival.

"Captain, I'm a Coast Guard Rescue Swimmer," Lt. Ross announced as she expertly made her way across the rolling deck of the ship. "We've evacuated the rest of your crew, and now we need to get you to safety."

"I'm not abandoning my boat."

"Captain, your life is not worth trying to save this vessel. There is a Coast Guard Cutter on the way who will attempt to deal with the fire when they arrived on the scene but there are no guarantees."

The captain finally looked in Lt. Rossi's direction, though his hands did not loosen from the death grip that he had on the wheel.

"The rest of the crew is off the boat?"

"Safely aboard our helicopter," Lt. Rossi replied with a nod. "It's your turn," she said using a commanding tone.

"But the Windstorm . . ."

"We will try to save the ship captain but I can't make any promises. Saving lives is our first priority. The ship can be replaced."

The ship's captain continued to look in her direction, the wheel held firmly in his hands. Amber could tell she hadn't quite convinced him yet.

"Do you have family back on shore, Captain?"

The captain nodded. "Two grown sons. Both married."

"Don't you want your future grandkids to be able to know their grandfather?" Lt. Rossi told him. "Going down with a vessel is an admirable thing to do, but I think your sons and their future kids would rather have you in their lives than living with your memory."

The words finally got through to the captain of the Windstorm. He looked back toward the controls in front of him, and switched on the ship's autopilot. Then finally letting go of the wheel, he and Lt. Rossi made their way back across the deck. As she followed the captain down the steps, the Coast Guard Lieutenant pulled out her radio, relaying her status to her flight crew. As she stepped out onto the deck behind the Windstorm's captain, she could see the basket already being lowered to the deck.

In short order, the captain was safely secured in the basket and making his ascent to join his crew. Alone now on the deck of the Windstorm, Lt. Rossi took in her surroundings. Though the vessel rolled in the high seas of the Atlantic, it still seemed tame compared to some of the conditions she had been out in during her years serving in Alaska. Off in the distance she could see lighting flash, giving away the presence of the approaching storm that was stirring up the seas. There was also the approaching lights of the Coast Guard Cutter, bobbing up and down as it rode through the seas. Rossi took another glance at the smoke billowing from the door leading down to the engine room below deck. It hadn't let up any since she had first touched foot on the deck, and even as she changed her gaze upward, she said a silent prayer for the safety of her fellow Coasties that would be coming onboard to try to put that fire out.

Above her, the basket containing the Windstorm's captain was being pulled into the cabin of the helicopter. Lt. Rossi knew it wouldn't be long now before her flight crew would be lowering the cable down to hoist her back into the helicopter. She kept switching her gaze between the helicopter above her and the waves that still rocked the ship, trying to stay vigilant of her surroundings as she had no desire for a rogue wave to knock her overboard.

Finally, Lt. Rossi was grasping the cable, and hooking the carabineer onto the harness that she wore. She made sure it was securely fastened, and then signaled to Finney in the cabin of the helicopter above that she was ready to be hoisted. Grasping the cable, Amber kept her focus on the helicopter above, not looking down now that the rescue below was over. If she had, she would have seen a wave suddenly wash over the deck of the fishing vessel.

As Finney closed the door of the helicopter, Lt. Amber Rossi felt the familiar wave of relief that came with the completion of a mission. Finney handed her the headset she had been wearing before going down to the Windstorm. Putting it on, she looked around the cabin of the helicopter. Seeing each face of the fishermen that she had helped pull from the burning vessel, the Coast Guard Lieutenant felt the thrill of success this time too. They had saved every crew member of the Windstorm. Because of her flight crew and herself, four men would be going home to their families. Rescue missions didn't get any better than this.

They were halfway back to base when their radios crackled to life. There was a man overboard from another vessel. All available Coast Guard personnel were being dispatched to search for the victim.

As the report from base ended, Commander Stricklin addressed his crew.

"Looks, like it's going to be a long night guys," he said, over the handsets. "Plan on a quick turn around at base while the copter is refueled. You'll have about ten minutes to hit the head, grab a drink, or a snack."

The personnel under Commander Stricklin's command were quiet as they digested this information. Though for now this mission would be viewed to the Coast Guard as a search and rescue, all the Coasties aboard the helicopter knew that it was only a fine line to be crossed before it became a search and recovery mission.

* * *

><p>Reid walked down city streets that he hadn't walked in a long time. Streets that he had vowed never to walk again. Now, with his life once again seemingly unraveling before him his resolve to keep that vow was dwindling. Just like everyone else that was important in his life, he felt as if he was losing Amber. The problem was he just didn't know what he was losing her too.<p>

The whole way down to this part of D.C. Reid had been going through things in his head. Had he said something to upset her? Had he pushed too hard about setting a wedding date? Hell, he knew how Amber had felt about weddings and given the number of marriages that had existed between her parents, who could blame her. Why hadn't he just left well enough alone? Having her in his life had been a good thing. Was a paper saying they were married really necessary?

~_I pushed her away. This is my fault. She probably found someone at Air Station Atlantic City that doesn't care about whether they get married or not. Someone who wants kids. Why did I ever tell her I was afraid of having kids because of passing on the genetic risk of them having schizophrenia?_~

As he walked down a dark alley way, he tried to quiet his thoughts, but he could manage it. There was only one way to silence his inner demons. Looking ahead, he saw two shadowy figures in the alley ahead of him. That escape was close at hand.

"Can we help you?" one of the figures asked, as Reid came to a stop in front of them.

"I'm looking to score some drugs," Reid replied, easily recalling the vernacular he had learned while using before.

"If you've got the cash, then you've come to the right place," the man replied. "Let's talk particulars."


	13. Not the Brightest Move

_**AN: So, as I haven't been doing much writing for CM this month due to working on my NaNo story, I figured I would use one of my previously written chapters and update this story. Hope you enjoy this chapter.**_

**Also: The final ballot for the 2011 Profiler's Choice Criminal Mind Awards is up at Chit Chat on Author's Corner. The story that launched this story - "Careless Man's Careful Daughter" has been nominated in both the_ Best OC Driven_ and _Best Rossi/Reid categories_. I would appreciate your vote for it as well as my other stories that made the final ballot:**

_**Best Drama: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best MorganReid: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best Overall Fic: Eternal Changes<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best Characterization of Spencer Reid: Eternal Changes<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best TeamCase Fic: Eternal Changes**_  
><em><strong>Best EmilyMorgan: Notorious**_  
><em><strong>Best Characterization of Derek Morgan: Silent Cries<strong>_  
><em><strong>Best GarciaReid: Sparks**_

**There are other great authors and great stories in these and other categories so if you have the time show your appreciation for the author's who work hard to bring you these stories. Voting is open until November 30th!**

* * *

><p>Reid felt what little breath was left in his lungs, after the guy's fist had made contact with his mid-section several times, leave from his lungs as he hit the pavement of the alleyway, face first. Though he managed to get his hands in front of him as he fell, the only thing that prevented was his face making contact with the hard ground. Reid didn't attempt to move at first, instead concentrating only on willing his body to take a breath. Just as he was able to draw air into his screaming lungs, he felt hands grab his arms, forcing them behind his back.<p>

As the man who had grabbed his arms crossed his wrists, he suddenly felt a heavy pressure on top of them, pressing his wrists into the small of his back and pinning him to the ground. Even as he struggled to free himself he suddenly felt hands rifling through his pockets as the second guy searched him. Reid now realized that backing out of the deal right before the transaction had taken place had been a bad idea. The men he had approached were obviously determined to get their payment whether he wanted the drugs or not.

Reid felt his wallet being pulled from his pocket. He had quit struggling at this point, resigned to the fact that he was overpowered. Perhaps if he stopped resisting them, the men would simply take his money and leave him be. He could live with that. This was his own stupidity anyway. Allowing himself to get hooked on Dilaudid the first time had been stupid, just as coming here tonight was.

~_I'm so weak. No wonder I'm losing Amber. Who wants to spend their life with a weakling? ~_ Reid thought as he felt a hand in his other pocket.

The man rifling through his pockets pulled out Reid's credentials and cell phone.

"Hey man, he's a fed," the guy said to his buddy, sending an icy chill through Reid's veins. The agent felt sure that the two men would kill him right where he lay.

"Damn! Let's get out of here," the other man exclaimed.

Reid felt the pressure on his hands disappear and then the fading sounds of running footsteps as the men ran off. The profiler laid perfectly still for a few moments, waiting until he could no longer hear the footsteps. As the footsteps faded into the normal city night sounds, Reid finally moved from his supine position, rolling slowly onto his back. The movement hurt, and he lay on his back for a moment before trying to sit up. The thought of staying there crossed his mind but he knew it wasn't safe. Finally, gritting his teeth against the pain, Reid moved into a sitting position.

Not far away, Reid spotted, his discarded credentials. Reaching out, he picked them up and slipped them back into his pocket. His phone and wallet were nowhere to be seen, but then he didn't really expect them to have been left. Drawing his knees up to his chest, Reid wrapped his arms around them.

~_What am I going to do? _~ he asked silently. _~I can't call for help? I've got no money for a cab or to take a bus anywhere. Walking home would take forever, nor does anyone I know live a decent walking distance from here._~

Reid didn't spend too long pondering the issue as he knew there was only one real option open to him. He would have to walk, no matter how long it took him. If he could find a pay phone, he could place a collect call to Morgan. He knew his friend would accept the charges, though after determining that he was okay and after finding out what had happened, Reid knew he was going to be in for one hell of a lecture. As much as he would prefer not to have to admit what he had almost done tonight to anyone, he knew there was no way to avoid it. Genius or not, he had made one hell of a stupid mistake tonight.

Though his bruised body protested the movement, Reid got to his feet. Wrapping his arms across his mid-section, he slowly started back up the alleyway. Reaching the street, the battered agent turned left and tried to concentrate only on putting one foot down in front of the other. He hadn't gone far when suddenly a bright light was shining on him.

Reid stopped, and putting up one hand to shield his eyes some, he tried to determine the source of the light. Coming slowly toward him was a metro police car.

"Hey buddy, are you okay?" the officer in the passenger seat of the squad car called, as it slowed to a stop not far in front of him.

"Yeah," Reid said, feeling embarrassed at being found by police in his condition. All he could think of was the fact that he could possibly lose his job if these guys knew the real reason he was in this area of the city.

The answer was not enough to encourage the police officers to move on. Both metro officers got out of the patrol car and cautiously made their way toward Reid. The federal agent made no move at all, having no desire to be thrown to the ground again which could happen if either of the officers suddenly perceived him as a threat.

"Got any ID on you?" asked the same officer who had spoken before, still holding his flashlight high in the air.

"Yes," Reid replied, thinking of his credentials in his pocket. "It's in my pocket," he informed him, though he didn't make any movement to reach for it yet.

"Then how about you reach slowly into your pocket and get it out for us," the officer instructed.

Reid did as he was told, wondering how he was going to explain the situation without causing even more problems for himself. Not for the first time, he wished he had just stayed home tonight.

* * *

><p>Derek Morgan laid awake on his bed. He felt the pressure of the woman's head, whom he had brought home from the bar, on his shoulder. The bedside lamp was still on, casting a soft glow around most of the room. Looking down, he saw that the woman was awake too.<p>

"I should probably head home," Sandy said, looking up at him. "My roommate might start to worry."

"You could just call her and tell her not to wait up," Morgan told her.

Before Sandy had a chance to reply, Morgan's cell phone vibrated. Reaching over with one hand, he picked it up from the bedside table. He glanced down at the screen to see his Hotch's name and number. With a sigh, he flipped the phone open.

"Agent Morgan."

"Morgan, are you at home?" Hotch asked, not bothering with customary greetings.

"Yes," Morgan replied slowly, thinking it was a strange question for his supervisor to be asking.

"Good. Get dressed. I'm sending Rossi over there to pick you up."

"Is there a case?"

"No. I got a call from metro police. Apparently they found Reid walking along the street in a bad part of the city. They say he's insisting he's fine, but the officers on scene say it looks like he's been roughed up and the only thing he has on him is his credentials. They're asking for a supervisor to come pick him up, and as I've got Jack tonight I'm going to have to send Rossi down there."

"Are you sure that's a good idea giving their relationship?" Morgan asked, knowing the senior profiler was going to be pissed if Reid was in that area for the reason Morgan thought he was and try as he might, the dark-skinned profiler couldn't think of any other reason for the younger agent to be in that part of the city. He had the feeling Hotch had come to the same conclusion himself.

~_I just hope he didn't give in, _~ Morgan thought, even as he listened to his boss' reply.

"My options are limited, Morgan. I don't see Jack enough as it is, and the last thing I want to do is drag my three-year-old son down there at this time of night. That's why I want you to go too. You can hopefully keep Dave from doing anything rash, not to mention Reid is more likely to open up to you then any of the rest of us."

Morgan sighed. Hotch was right, though he didn't understand why Reid hadn't called him tonight. It had been awhile since he had gotten a call from Reid when the younger man had felt a need to give into the addiction that he had battled and conquered. There had been no such calls since Amber had come back into the kid's life. As soon as he knew Reid was okay, he was going to have to remind him that he could call no matter what time of day or night it was.

"I'll be ready when he gets here," Morgan replied, even as he eased his arm out from under Sandy's head.

Ending the call, Morgan placed the phone back on the bedside table, and got up from the bed.

"Something wrong?" Sandy asked, having sat up in the bed.

"A friend needs some help," Morgan told her, as he reached for his clothes that had been discarded earlier. "You should head home, after all. I can call you a cab."

Sandy waved her hand as she climbed out of the other side of the bed. "Don't worry about me. I can get myself home," she told him gathering her clothes from the floor.

The woman headed for the bathroom as Morgan finished getting dressed. As Morgan was pulling his gun out of the locked drawer the woman came out of the bathroom, fully clothed and her cell phone in hand.

"It was fun," Sandy told him, blowing a kiss in his direction as she walked out of the bedroom, heading downstairs.

~_Yeah, it was and about the only fun I'm going to have tonight_, ~ Morgan thought grimly, watching her leave as he slid the gun into its holster.

Leaving his back-up piece where it was, Morgan shut and re-locked the drawer. Making sure he had his keys and cell phone, he headed downstairs himself. Hearing his owner's footsteps on the steps, Clooney got up from where he was laying on the couch and trotted over to him. Reaching down, Morgan scratched the German Shepherd behind the ears.

"You like that, huh boy," Morgan said to the dog, smiling at the content look the dog had gotten. After about a minute, Morgan stopped and patted the dog's head. "I've got to go out for a little bit, boy. I'll be home soon, "he told the animal, not really believing the dog understood him but it was habit by this time.

With Clooney watching his exit, Morgan walked outside. He saw Sandy just climbing into the back of a cab at the end of the driveway. Making sure the door was locked behind him, he stood on the steps, impatiently tapping his foot as he waited for his co-worker to arrive.

Just when he was getting ready to call him, Rossi's SUV pulled into his driveway. Morgan strode quickly toward the vehicle, anxious to get to his friend. Part of him reasoned that he should be angry with Reid, knowing there was a chance the younger man had thrown away all the hard work and time put into battling his addiction but he couldn't find it in himself to be angry. Maybe that was because he had a feeling that Rossi was going to be angry enough for the both of them. Or perhaps it was because as disappointed as he was to think that Reid was even considering looking for a hit after his struggles to get off the Dilaudid and fight the cravings, he knew his friend needed his support rather than his condemnation.

Pulling the passenger side door open, the interior light of the vehicle allowed Morgan to get a good view of his co-worker. As he had anticipated, Morgan could see that Rossi was seething with anger by the set of his jaw. Knowing they wouldn't be well received, Morgan didn't waste time on pleasantries as he climbed into the passenger's seat.

The two drove in silence for a while. It was finally Rossi that broke the silence.

"What the hell was the kid thinking going to that part of town?" Rossi asked, the anger clear in his voice.

Glancing over at him, Morgan could see he was gripping the steering wheel so tight that his knuckles were white. It suddenly occurred to him that he didn't know whether Rossi knew about Reid's past problems with Dilaudid. The elder profiler had joined the team after Reid had been on the road to recovery. The team didn't talk much about the issue among themselves, so naturally it wouldn't have been a subject to casually come up in a conversation with Rossi. Morgan figured Hotch may have let Rossi know at some point, as the two of them were old friends, or it was possible Rossi knew through Amber or Reid telling him. However, if he didn't know, Morgan sure didn't want to be the one to inform him of the issue.

"He cancels on me just to go wandering around a bad part of the city. To go hunting something he doesn't need to get messed up on again," Rossi continued, telling Morgan that somehow, the elder gentleman did know about Reid's drug issues. "I know he hasn't been himself these last few weeks. I just thought it was because of Amber being away but so help me, if I find out that tonight wasn't the first time he went out looking for a hit then you had better be ready to hold me back, Morgan, because I'm not sure what I'll actually do once I get my hands on him."

Morgan wasn't sure what to say to that. As worked up as Rossi was, he sure didn't want to draw any of the older profiler's ire in his direction.

"Let's just hold off passing judgement until we know exactly what the situation is," Morgan replied calmly.

"Oh, sure Reid went down to that area of the city for a nice leisurely stroll. Come on, Morgan, you don't expect me to believe that do you? There are only three reasons people are in that section of the city. One, they are unfortunate enough to be living there. Two, they're looking for drugs or sex that they've got to pay for. The third reason to be in that area is that you're a cop assigned to work that part of the city. I think we both know that Reid only qualifies for one of those options."

"That doesn't mean he actually went through with it."

"Whether he went through with it or not, the fact is he could have gotten himself killed."

"Well then I guess somebody was watching over him today," Morgan commented.

Rossi opened his mouth to say something, but never did voice those words. Instead, he closed his mouth in a grim expression as he continued to drive slightly above the speed limit to their destination.

Rossi turned the SUV onto the road that the metro police had told Hotch they were on. Not far down the road, he could see the flashing red lights of the waiting squad car. As he pulled to a stop across the street from the squad car, only the two metro police officers were visible. One of them was sitting on the hood of the squad, between the headlights. The other was standing a short distance away. Given their surroundings, both officers were aware of their surroundings and noticed Rossi and Morgan's arrival. The officer sitting on the hood of the squad car got to his feet as the two FBI agents climbed from the SUV.

Morgan let Rossi take the lead, walking just a step behind the older profiler. As they crossed the street, Morgan noticed the outline of a third person sitting in the back of the squad car.

"SSA David Rossi," the elder profiler said, holding up his badge for the metro officers to see. "I understand you came across one of our agents."

"He's in the back of the squad," the metro officer who had been sitting on the hood replied, jerking his thumb to point back over his shoulder. "This isn't the best area to be walking around alone at any time of the day, and it looks like he may have found that out the hard way."

"Has he said what happened?"Rossi asked.

Morgan didn't hear the reply as he had headed toward where Reid was sitting in the back of the squad car. The back door was open, and Reid was sitting on the seat, arms folded across himself, head leaning back against the seat with his eyes closed. If he heard Morgan's approach, Reid didn't make any indication of it.

"You're the last person I thought I would ever see sitting in the back of the squad car," Morgan commented, resting his hand on the car door as he peered into the vehicle.

Reid looked up at the sound of his friend's voice. It was clear that he was surprised to see Morgan. "I thought they were going to call Hotch?"

"They did but Hotch has got Jack and he didn't want to drag his son out at this time of night or in this part of the city," Morgan replied, seeing Reid nod in understanding. "So, he sent me and Rossi down here."

At the mention of Rossi's name, Reid finally looked out the front windshield of the squad and spotted the elder profiler. He groaned and leaning forward let his head rest against the wire cage that separated the back of the squad car from the front seats.

"Can this night get any worse?" Reid said softly, not really trying to be heard. Morgan heard the words anyway.

"I guess that depends on what went on down here. I don't need to ask why you were down here. That's obvious. What I do want to know was, did you go through with it?"

There was no immediate answer to the question. Reid didn't move from his position as Morgan watched his friend. Just when he was about to repeat the question, Reid spoke up.

"I backed out at the last second, just before the exchange was to take place. The men I was talking to weren't exactly happy about that either," Reid finally lifted his head and looked up at Morgan. "You're welcome to search me if you don't believe me," he said, holding his arms out slightly from his body, allowing Morgan to see the now scabbed over scrapes on the palms of the younger man's hands. "However, the guys I backed out on already did a fairly thorough job of that. The only thing they left behind was my credentials. Guess I should be thankful for that or I might have ended up sitting in a cell tonight."

Morgan shook his head. "I believe you, Kid. I don't need proof," he told him, as he squatted down next to the car. "Why didn't you call me before you came down here?"

"It's Friday night. I figured you would have found yourself better company and not want to hear from me," Reid said, looking away again.

"Look at me, Kid," Morgan requested softly. He waited until his friend complied before continuing. "Didn't I tell you that you could call me anytime you needed to?" Morgan asked.

Reid nodded. "It's been so long since I've had to and I didn't want to ruin your evening but it looks like I've managed to do that anyway. I'm sorry."

"I don't care if it's twenty years from now, I want you to call me if you need someone to lean on, you understand me?" Morgan asked, his voice taking on a commanding tone. Reid nodded as he looked down at his feet. "I don't consider helping a friend out a ruined evening. I'm glad you didn't give into temptation tonight. Now come on, let's get you out of this neighborhood."

Morgan got to his feet and took a step back from the car. Reid slowly climbed out of the car, a slight groan escaping his lips as he did so. Watching his friend, Morgan frowned. Though his torn clothes clearly said the kid had been in a scuffle, there had been no visible injuries other than the scrapped up hands. Apparently, there were some hidden ones though.

"Perhaps we should get you checked out at the hospital?" Morgan suggested as he pushed the back door of the squad closed.

"It's not necessary," Reid replied, refraining from crossing his arms across his sore mid-section like he wanted to do.

Reaching out, Morgan let his hand come to rest on Reid's shoulder as they walked toward Rossi and the two metro police officers. The three ended their conversation and looked in their direction as the two FBI agents approached them. Rossi glared at Reid. Both Morgan and Reid got the feeling that the only thing keeping the elder profiler from speaking his mind right there and then was the presence of the two police officers.

"This isn't the area you want any of your agents working alone in," one of the police officers said, glancing briefly at Reid before looking back at Rossi.

"Thanks for the advice. We'll keep that in mind for next time," Rossi replied, causing Morgan to wonder just what the elder profiler had told the metro police to explain Reid's presence in the rough neighborhood.

With that said, the three FBI agents started across the street toward the waiting SUV. None of them said a word as they walked. It wasn't until Rossi turned the vehicle on that he spoke.

"Where to?" Rossi asked, in a clipped voice.

"My place," Morgan said, speaking up quickly before Reid had a chance to. He wasn't about to let the younger man go home to his own empty house tonight.

Rossi nodded. Briefly putting on his turn signal, the elder profiler checked for traffic and then pulled away from the curve.


	14. Orion's Belt

Rossi pulled the SUV to a stop behind Morgan's vehicle, and pulled the key out of the ignition. The drive over had been a silent one. As Rossi got out of the vehicle along with them, Morgan figured that silence wasn't going to last much longer.

Morgan lead the way up the front walk, unclipping his keys from his belt loop as he walked. Reaching the door, he unlocked it and then pushing it open proceeded the other two into the house. Clooney rushed over to greet him, the German Shepherd rubbing his head against his owner's thigh as Morgan reached down to pet him.

As Reid stepped into the house, a low growl emitted from the German Shepherd. Reid cautiously edged passed Morgan into the house, his eyes warily on the dog. The only thing that kept him moving forward was the fact that Rossi was behind him.

"Clooney, quit that," Morgan said in a firm voice even as he instinctively reached down and grabbed the dog's collar just in case. "I'll just take him up to my room," Morgan told his two co-workers as Rossi pushed the door closed. "Make yourselves at home," he added, with a nod in the direction of the living room.

As Morgan headed upstairs with Clooney, Reid walked from the foyer into the adjacent living room, aware of Rossi following. Crossing over to the couch, Reid sat down biting his lower lip due to the pain from his bruised body. He wasn't brave enough to meet the older man's scrutinizing gaze and so he focused his attention on the top of his shoes. Because of this, he was surprised when Rossi grabbed his shirt sleeve, unbuttoned it and pushed the sleeve up. Reid knew what the older man was looking for, and didn't resist the scrutiny though he did finally speak up.

"I haven't taken anything. I couldn't go through with it," Reid told him, even as he allowed Rossi to examine his other arm.

"Well, at least you haven't lost all your senses," Rossi said, taking a step back from the younger man, and glaring down at him. "Just what the hell were you thinking tonight?"

"Everything just seems to be falling apart. I couldn't get a hold of Amber and the walls felt like they were closing in. I had to get out of the house."

"So instead of calling me or calling Morgan you decided to go and throw away over a year of sobriety. For a genius, you sure can manage to do some stupid things!"

"I know," Reid said, leaning back against the couch. He ran his fingers through his hair, pushing it back away from his face.

Rossi glared down at the younger man for a few minutes. He was still angry at him, despite his relief at not finding track marks on Reid's arms. Part of him still wanted to grab hold of the younger man and shake some sense into him. Reid's resigned and despondent manner about everything seemed to break through that anger though.

"Why did you cancel the normal Friday night dinner, Spencer?" Rossi asked, feeling that if Reid had just come over to his house tonight none of this would have happened. Felt that if he hadn't accepted the cancellation so easily, maybe things would have turned out differently.

"I didn't think I would be very good company," Reid said softly.

"And you think that mattered! You weren't that great of company last week either but did you hear me complain?" Rossi asked. Reid shook his head in reply as the elder man continued. "You miss Amber, so I get the mood. I miss her, too. And I would rather have had you moping around my house than to get a phone call from Hotch saying that the D.C. police had picked you up and it looked like you had been beaten up. Damn it, Spencer! You came to me in Philly when we weren't as close as we are now and I had no idea about your problems with drugs but you couldn't come to me now!"

"I'm losing her, Dave. I know I am. I just wanted to escape that impending reality for a while."

Spencer looked up at him with such a lost look, that all of Rossi's anger suddenly melted away.

"Guess that you're probably happy about that, though. Who wants their daughter spending their life with a struggling addict?"

Dave stepped forward and maneuvered himself between the couch and the coffee table. Sitting down on the coffee table he looked across the short distance at the forlorn younger man. Rossi was surprised to see that Reid was holding his gaze.

"Spencer, listen to me. You're a good man. Yes, you have your faults. We all do. However, I couldn't ask for a better person for my daughter to choose to spend her life with. From what I know, it's not often that a father will actually admit to that, so count yourself lucky. The two of you are good for each other so what makes you think you're losing her?"

"I think she might have found someone else up in Atlantic City. She seemed preoccupied when I last visited her and has seemed distant when we've talked on the phone."

"Do you have any evidence to back up these feelings?" Rossi asked, finding it hard to believe that his daughter would end up finding someone else in less than three weeks after everything her and Reid had been through. Amber had never been a girl to fall in love easy and part of that was his fault. Hell, she had chosen her career over love the first time around, a mistake he didn't want to see her make again. He knew how lonely that path was.

Reid shook his head in response.

"Well, Doctor, I think you need to take a deep breath and relax until you've got evidence to the fact. Her time at Air Station Atlantic City ends on Tuesday and she'll be back Wednesday morning. I suggest that when she does get back, the two of you take the time to talk. Tell her what you're worried about. Maybe she's got something on her mind that she needs to talk over with you."

"Do you know something I don't?"

Rossi shook his head. "No, Spencer. It's just I know my daughter and I know how much she cares for you. Whatever is going on, it isn't another guy."

"I hope you're right," Reid said softly as Rossi's phone rang.

Dave took the device from the clip on his belt, and glanced down at the screen. He was disappointed to see JJ's name as he was hoping to hear from Amber. Reid hadn't been the only one who couldn't get a hold of her, though given the current situation he wasn't about to admit that to Spencer. While he didn't want to dwell on where Reid was imagining her at, Rossi was hoping that the fact that she wasn't answering her phone simply met she was out on a mission and if that was the case, he could do nothing else except pray for her safety and those who were out there with her.

"Agent Rossi," he said into the phone, as he answered the call.

"Rossi, is Reid with you? He isn't answering his phone."

"Yeah, he's with me," Rossi replied. ~_And he's not answering his phone because he doesn't have it anymore, _~ the FBI profiler added silently, making a mental note to make sure that the situation got remedied the next day. "Did you call me just because you were looking for Reid?"

"Not exactly," JJ replied. "Have you seen the news?"

"No, I haven't," Rossi replied, and judging from the tone of JJ's voice he had a feeling that he wasn't going to like what was in the news. "What's going on?"

"One of the Coast Guard's Dolphin helicopters out of Air Station Atlantic City went down in the Atlantic ocean during a search and rescue mission," JJ said.

Listening to her words, Rossi could feel the color drain from his face. He was glad that he was currently sitting down as he had a feeling his legs wouldn't be able to hold him right about now.

"The Coast Guard is currently conducting a rescue mission for the crew of the downed helicopter."

"What channel is the coverage on?" Rossi asked, knowing that he needed to see the news for himself. Needed to know the progress of the mission even if he didn't know for sure that it was Amber's helicopter that had gone down.

"All the local stations are covering it." JJ told him.

"Dave, what's going on?" Reid asked, as he watched Rossi snatch the remote that was sitting at the end of the coffee table.

Rossi didn't answer the question, as he was focused on getting the news coverage up on the TV.

"Well, Clooney is safely shut in my bed . . . " Morgan let his words trail off as he took in the pale, panicked face of Rossi and the confused look on Reid's face. "What did I miss?" he asked, walking the rest of the way into the living room he came to a stop next to the couch.

"To recap, the Coast Guard has informed us that an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter out of Air Station Atlantic City has gone down in the ocean off the coast of New Jersey due to mechanical issues. The helicopter was part of the ongoing search and rescue mission of a fisherman who had fallen overboard from the fishing vessel For The Halibut earlier this evening. Though the Coast Guard is not releasing names of the crew of the downed helicopter at this point pending notification of next of kin, they have informed us that another Dolphin Helicopter and a cutter are being diverted from the search to the crash site."

"On a more positive note, the fishermen of the vessel Windstorm . . ."

"Was that Amber's . . ." Reid's shaky question trailed off as he was unable to finish it.

"I don't know," Rossi replied knowing what the younger man was asking without it being completed.

"Rossi, are you still there?"

Rossi brought the phone down from his ear momentarily to look at it. He had forgotten about JJ being on the line. Putting the phone back up to his ear he answered. "Yeah, JJ. I'm still here. I just saw the coverage."

"It might not be Amber's helicopter that went down," JJ said, trying to sound reassuring. "I tried calling the air station but even with me pulling every string I know of, couldn't get any more information than is being released to the press right now."

"That doesn't surprise me," Rossi replied, while mentally taking some measure of reassurance that he had found out about this through JJ. He knew he was still listed as an emergency contact for his daughter, as he knew she would have told him if she had changed that. ~_The report said they were trying to contact next of kin and I haven't heard from them. No news is supposed to be good news, right? Course if I stay on this phone I'm not going to hear from them even if they are trying to contact me._~ "JJ, I think I need to keep this line open."

"Of course. Do you mind if Will and I come over and wait? I think I'd be less nervous waiting for news that way."

~_And you want to be here for moral support_, ~ Dave added silently, before speaking. "We're at Morgan's right now, but there's no reason we can't all wait for news together. It'll probably cut down on the phone traffic," he replied, knowing that once she got off the phone with him, JJ would be calling the rest of the team.

~_Perhaps I should call Hotch myself though_, ~ Rossi thought, as he ended the call with JJ. His old friend was expecting a call from him anyway, wanting an update on the situation with Reid.

"Okay. We'll be over there shortly," JJ said. Rossi could hear the question about why they were at Morgan's in her voice, but the media liaison refrained from answering it.

Rossi ended the call and got to his feet. Reid was now leaning forward, elbows on his knees and head buried in his hands. The veteran profiler knew exactly how the younger man was feeling right now and it wasn't because of his profiling skills.

"I'll put some coffee on," Morgan said, turning to leave the living room once again.

Rossi reached down and gave Reid's shoulder a squeeze before he too turned and left the room, dialing Hotch's number as he did so.

About ten minutes later, Morgan walked back into the livingroom juggling three cups of coffee.

"Where's Rossi?" Morgan asked, seeing only Reid in the room.

Reid looked up at the question, his eyes red and puffy. "He left to make some phone calls I think," he replied, taking the cup of coffee that Morgan held out to him.

Reid held the mug in both hands, relishing the warmth of it. The television was still on and once again the news reported the same information about the downed helicopter.

~_This must have been how Amber felt when Cyrus was holding Prentiss and me, _~ Reid thought as he absently stared at the screen more for the sake of needing somewhere to look than anything else.

Sitting one of the two remaining mugs down on a coaster, Morgan sat down on the couch next to Reid. Reaching out, he rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder. Though he wanted to say something reassuring to his friend, he wasn't sure what to say. If he was in Reid's place, the last thing he would want to hear was platitudes that everything was going to be okay when none of them had any way of knowing that for sure.

Morgan wasn't sure how long they had been sitting there when he heard the front door open. Looking up, the dark-skinned agent expected to see Rossi walk back into the room and was surprised when instead Penelope, JJ and Will came through the doorway.

"Rossi's out front on the phone. He let us in," Garcia explained, as she hurried into the room and past the coffee table on her way to sit on the other side of Reid.

"I've got some coffee in the kitchen. I'll get you all some," Morgan said, getting to his feet. He picked up the first mug he had originally brought in for Dave figuring it was cold by now.

"I'll give you a hand," Will said and Morgan walked toward him.

The two men headed for the kitchen more than happy to let the two women do the comforting.

"I don't like being on this side of things," Morgan commented to Will as the two of them stepped into the kitchen. He headed for the cabinet the coffee mugs were in and opened the door.

"None of us do," Will commented, having headed for the coffee pot. He took a mug from Morgan and began pouring the hot beverage into it. "Nor does it get in easier the more you do it. Being the one in danger is somehow easier than knowing someone you love is in danger. I grew up knowing that but somehow it seems worse now with JJ then when I was a kid and my father was at work."

"Probably because you're more aware of the dangers now," Morgan replied, as he placed four more mugs down on the counter. He knew Prentiss and Hotch would be making an appearance shortly.

Morgan remembered how cool he thought his Dad's job was as a kid. He was aware of his mom's worry but really hadn't understood it until the day he had watched his father get shot. The reality of being a cop had really sunk in that day, and though the job had lost some of its glamour for him that day, those events hadn't changed his mind about wanting to follow in his father's footsteps.

"Probably," Will agreed, as he filled two more mugs with coffee.

"Man, I hope that wasn't Amber's helicopter that went down," Morgan said, as he prepared the first mug Will had filled the way he knew Garcia liked her coffee. "While I know it would be tough for both of them, it would just crush Reid. After everything he's been through and now this . . ."

"All we can do is pray and be there for them," Will said sensibly.

Morgan nodded, though his mind continued an internal monologue. ~_It doesn't seem like that long ago that I was telling Rossi my faith was day to day. It still is and given the things I've seen I still question why a supposedly merciful God would allow things like that to happen to good people. Yet, the fact remains that I was in that church praying when Garcia was on that operating table and she pulled through._~

As Will prepared the cups for himself and JJ, Morgan put another pot of coffee on in anticipation of a long night of sitting and waiting for news. As he did so, he found himself saying a silent prayer to a God that he still wasn't sure he believed in.

Soon, Morgan and Will were heading back to the livingroom. Garcia and JJ were on either side of Reid, JJ having taken the spot that Morgan had vacated. Will handed a mug to JJ and then sat down in an arm chair.

"Here you go, Baby Girl," Morgan said, holding the mug he had brought in out to the technical analyst.

"Thank-you," Garcia replied, taking the mug in the hand that wasn't currently draped across Reid's shoulders.

"You're welcome," Morgan replied, glancing over at Reid. He noticed the younger agent's cup was now empty. "Do you want me to refill that for you?"

Reid shook his head in reply as the front door opened again. All pairs of eyes focused on the doorway. It wasn't long before a tired looking Hotch appeared there, Jack in his arms. The little boy had his head resting on his father's shoulder and was still asleep.

"Does Rossi know anything else?" JJ asked, voicing the question they were all thinking.

Hotch shook his head. "He was cursing about being put on hold again when I was out there," the unit chief said.

"Why don't you lay Jack down in the spare bedroom upstairs," Morgan suggested, now perched on the arm of the couch next to Garcia. "Up the stairs, first door on the left."

Hotch nodded, turned and left the room again. As the unit chief departed, the news reporter on the TV started recapping the information about the Coast Guard helicopter again. Reid got to his feet.

"I can't listen to that again," Reid said, as he stepped past JJ and headed out of the living room.

Morgan got to his feet and followed, not about to let the younger man out of his sight after what had happened earlier in the night. He followed Reid out the back door and onto the small porch which was illuminated by the motion detecting porch light. As Morgan let the screen door close behind him, Reid placed his hands on the railing and hung his head.

"I just had to go and ask if the night could get any worse, didn't I?" Reid commented quietly, telling Morgan that Reid was aware of just who had followed him.

"Just because you said those words didn't make this happen," Morgan replied as he walked across the porch. Reaching the railing, he turned and leaned back against the railing, looking at Reid.

"I know."

"I know this is hard, Kid, but you've got to have faith in Amber's abilities. She's trained and she's good at her job."

"I know that but if she was on that helicopter that went down . . ."

"We don't know it was her helicopter."

"But she wasn't answering her phone tonight. Being out on a mission could be why."

"We don't know that was the mission she was on if she was on a mission. From the sound of it the Coast Guard has been busy tonight. There was that rescue of the crew of that other vessel the reporter mentioned."

Reid nodded. He brought his head up and looked up into the sky. It was a cloudy night and the stars that the young genius knew to be up there were blocked from view. In his mind's eye though he saw another set of stars from years ago. He smiled as the memory came back to him.

"What are you thinking about, Kid?" Morgan asked softly from beside him.

"I was remembering a time that Amber and I spent hours just gazing up at the stars. We hung our dreams out on Orion's belt that night."

_Spencer Reid clung desperately to the hand that held onto his as Amber lead him through the woods to their destination. They had come to Malibu Creek State Park to camp this weekend with their friends but while the others were gathered around the campfire roasting marshmallows and having a sing-along, Amber had decided she wanted to go star gazing. Not much for the group singing, Spencer had gladly agreed to it, although now as they made their way down the trail with the trees surrounding them, he found himself wishing he was back at their campsite. At least the fire had given off a substantial amount of light. A whole lot more than the flashlight that Amber held in her other hand._

"_You do know where you're going right?" Spencer asked, trying not to let his voice betray his uneasiness._

"_Afraid of getting lost in the woods with me?" Amber teased, as she kept walking. _

"_No. Of course not! It's just that . . . well I'd prefer not to be lost period. Especially not at night."_

"_Don't worry. I know where I'm going," Amber told him, given the hand she was holding a squeeze. _

_The two finished the trek in silence, Amber stopping when she reached the clearing, she had been headed for. In the distance they could make out the outlines of three other people sitting staring up at the stars. So engrossed were they in their activity though, that they didn't even cast a glance in Amber and Spencer's direction. Surveying the area, Amber quickly decided on a spot and leading Spencer there, spread the blanket out that she was carrying._

"_It's such a pretty night," Amber commented as she settled down next to Spencer on the blanket, using his shoulder as a pillow._

"_The weather conditions are really ideal for star gazing tonight. There are very few clouds in the sky to block our view and with the moon at the beginning of its cycle there is little light pollution to obscure the view except for that which is man made."_

"_Being able to see the stars is one of the things I've missed while here in LA," Amber said wistfully, thinking of the times she had sat on the beach back in Texas, either alone or with a friend and gazed up at the night sky. The tiny lights in the black canvas had always given her a sense of peace and tonight was no different. Gazing up, Amber was able to forget about all the deadlines, emotional issues, senseless conflicts, and responsibilities which seemed to define so much of her life. At this moment in time, everything seemed so simple and she wanted it to stay that way._

"_It looks different."_

_Spencer had made the comment so casually but the words seemed completely out of place to Amber. _

"_What?"_

"_The stars," Spencer replied, gesturing to the view above them with his free hand. "They look different seeing them with my own eyes instead of in print or on film."_

"_You've never actually looked up at the stars?" Amber asked, taking her eyes from the sight above and shifting her head to look at her boyfriend. She felt the slight movement beneath her head as Spencer shrugged his shoulders._

"_Oh, I've seen a few stars here and there, but nothing like this. Star Gazing in Vegas works as well as it does in Los Angeles. The light pollution from the buildings and cars drown out the natural illumination of the stars. I suppose I could have gone out to the desert to see them, and I did think about doing so a time or two, but I never did get around to it. Ethan was never really interested in star gazing and somehow going out to the desert alone never appealed to me - to open. So, I contented myself with studying the constellation and other astronomical objects through books and documentaries."_

"_So do you think you could point out a constellation for me. Other than the little dipper and big dipper, which my father showed me when I was young, I've never really been able to identify any of them."_

"_Well, let's see," Spencer replied thoughtfully, as he tried to match up things he recalled reading about constellations to the celestial plane above him. It didn't take him long to spot some of the constellations, and he patiently pointed them out Amber, naming the individual stars as he did so. _

"_And there is Orion, the hunter. The easiest way to spot it, is to find the three stars that make up what is know as Orion's belt, which are those three bright starts right there."_

_Following where his finger was pointing, Amber found the three stars he was referring to. "I see them."_

"_The one furthest east is Alnitak. Then there are Alnilam and Mintaka. Alnilam is about twice the distance away as the other two belt stars but because of its luminosity it is nearly equal in magnitude," Spencer said, before continuing to point out the rest of the stars that made up the constellation._

"_You make it so easy to see them," Amber said softly._

"_Once you know what to look for it isn't hard."_

_Amber smiled. "You're always so practical," she commented._

"_I'm sorry."_

"_Don't be. It's a nice change from dealing with most people though how about we do something completely non-practical right now."_

"_What did you have in mind?"_

"_Let's hang our dreams out on Orion's belt."_

"_But you can't . . ."_

"_Spencer."_

"_Yeah, right. Non-practical. How about you go first," he suggested not at all sure what she really intended him to say._

"_Fine," Amber replied, and gazing back up at the three stars that formed Orion's belt she started talking about what she saw herself doing after college._

"Those dreams didn't involve us being together back then. Maybe that should have told us something - like the fact that we were never meant to be together."

"Reid, the two of you were young back then and from what I've heard both very career oriented. If the two of you were to hang your dreams out on Orion's belt again, I have a feeling they would involve the other. Perhaps even be very similar."

"Morgan, if I tell you something will you promise not to tell anyone else."

"Of course, Kid."

"As much as I love Amber, and I don't want to lose her, I also don't want to leave the BAU. Part of me feels like I'm going to lose no matter what happens and I know that isn't a good attitude for a successful relationship."

"Reid, you can't keep that to yourself. You need to talk about it with Amber."

Reid shook his head. "I won't take a chance of losing her . . . if I haven't already. We sort of had an argument on the topic her first night away."

Morgan reached out and placed a hand on Reid's shoulder, giving it a slight reassuring squeeze, before letting his hand drop.

"I'm here for you, no matter what happens, Kid," Morgan said. He so wanted to say something more comforting but he wasn't going to say something that contained a promise he couldn't keep. Supporting Reid through whatever came from the events of this night was the only thing that he was sure of right now.

The sound of the door opening caused both men to turn around to see Rossi step out onto the porch.

"Did you find out anything?" Reid asked, bracing himself for the worse. He felt Morgan's hand find its way to his shoulder again.

"I did," Rossi replied. "The good news is that Amber wasn't on the helicopter that went down. However, her crew is attempting to rescue the crew of that helicopter."


	15. Secrets Revealed

**AN: Sorry about the delay in updating this thing. I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things with this story. I'm working on chapter 17 currently and although is acting up still, when I saw the update date I decided to go ahead and post anyway. Hope I haven't lost anyone. In this chapter I reveal who wife number two is for Rossi in my universe *wink*. Hope you all enjoy!**

* * *

><p>Lt. Amber Rossi and Petty Officer Dan Finney both knelt in the cabin doorway of the Dolphin helicopter they were in, scanning the dark seas below them for indications of the wreckage they should be approaching. It wasn't long before the light of the fuel fire burning on the surface came into view. Lt. Rossi found herself wondering if anyone could have possibly survived the wreck or if they would be pulling bodies from the debris field they were quickly approaching.<p>

"We've got a flare," Finney exclaimed beside her, even as Rossi noticed the flare herself. At least one person was alive down there.

"Lt. Rossi, are you ready?" Commander Stricklin asked, his voice coming over the radio headsets the flight crew all wore.

"Yes, sir."

"I want you to deploy as soon as we're over the crash site. You'll need to enter the water in a place that the fire down there is of no danger to you. The USCGC Mako is on its way to assist - ETA five minutes."

"Understood, sir," Rossi replied before removing the head set to get ready for the jump.

With the practiced precision that their training had instilled in them, Finney and Rossi made the necessary preparations for a successful deployment. While this was going on, Commander Stricklin radioed in a status report to operations control.

"Swimmer is ready to deploy," Finney announced over the radio, as Rossi sat on the edge of the cabin, looking down at the dark waters below.

"Check swimmer," Commander Stricklin replied.

"Roger, checking swimmer," Finney replied as he started going through the checklist that he had long ago memorized.

The crew continued through the scripted procedure, checking that all the equipment was in working order. On the command to deploy swimmer, Lt. Rossi pushed herself from the helicopter cabin, beginning the free fall to the dark waters below. In all ways but one, this was just another rescue. What made this one different though was the fact that it was fellow Coast Guard personnel in the wreckage below.

* * *

><p>The BAU family was still gathered in Morgan's living room, waiting for word on the outcome of the rescue mission that they now knew Amber to be involved in. The TV was on, with the same information being repeated. Morgan had taken up occupancy of the easy chair closest to read. After stepping outside and calling Wendy to give her an update, Rossi had settled in the room's second easy chair. Reid was at one end of the couch, silent and not saying much of anything to anyone. JJ sat beside him, one hand resting on Reid's forearm in support. Garcia was sitting next to JJ, the look on her face clearly saying that she wished there was something she could do. Prentiss had now joined the group, having finally returned Garcia's many phone calls had finally woken her up from her alcohol induced sleep. Will had gone and picked her up, no one wanting her to drive in her current state. Prentiss was currently sitting on the floor in front of the couch, a mug of coffee in her hands. Will had brought in two chairs from the dinning room for him and Hotch, and while the New Orleans native was currently occupying one chair the second one was empty. Hotch had gone upstairs to check in on his son.<p>

"And we have just received new information from the Coast Guard concerning their helicopter that went down," the news reporter said. Every occupant in the room perked up, their interest focused on the TV. "The Coast Guard has informed us that the helicopter sent to assist the crew of the Dolphin Helicopter that went down earlier tonight is on its way back from the crash site. Of the four crew members who were onboard the copter when it went down, we are receiving word that two were rescued. At this time the Coast Guard is still not releasing names pending notification of next of kin. We will pass along further information when we have it."

"As for the search for the missing . . ."

The tension seemed to melt from the room at the announcement from the TV. There was a soft "thank God" from Rossi, as the elder gentleman covered his mouth with his hand briefly. Will dipped his head, his lips saying a silent prayer of thanks. JJ squeezed Reid's arm supportively before turning and hugging Garcia, even as Morgan leaned forward in the easy chair and rested a hand on Reid's knee, the simple gesture saying what he couldn't find the words to voice. Reid hadn't moved or said anything though his eyes were closed tightly.

This was the scene that Hotch walked into. Looking around at everyone he knew they had received some kind of news. His guess was that it was good news but to be sure he asked, "what did I miss?"

It was Rossi who answered.

"Two of the crew of the downed chopper were rescued and they're heading back to base," Rossi replied, looking over his shoulder at Hotch.

The sound of movement drew his attention back to the room. Rossi saw Reid get to his feet and hurry out of the room. Both Morgan and JJ were on their feet ready to follow him but before they could, Rossi spoke again.

"I'll go."

Rossi got to his feet and without waiting to hear if anyone acknowledged him, followed the younger man out to the back porch. As Rossi stepped onto the back porch, he saw Reid standing by the railing, hands on the top rail and head down.

"Spencer, are you okay?"

"I'm fine. I just . . . I needed some air," Reid said, his voice revealing the emotions he had been trying to hide.

"It's okay to show emotion, Spencer. You don't think we were all relieved to hear that news report."

"Of course not. It's just that . . ." Reid swallowed hard trying to get his emotions under control in order to finish the reply. "It's just that with . . ."he tried again. Once again he could feel the tears threatening to spill. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard trying to keep them in check.

The last thing he wanted to do was cry in front of anyone but the thought of doing so in front of David Rossi was unthinkable. The man was a legend in the FBI. Had been his idol for years before he had even met him. Could quite possibly be his father-in-law someday soon and here he was ready to break down in tears in front of him.

Reid felt a hand on his shoulder. Before he knew what was happening, Rossi was turning him to face him. Reid only caught a quick glance of the man's face before he was being hugged tightly, just like in Colorado. As it had back then, it felt right somehow. Felt like he had always imagined a hug from his father would feel. In that instance all of his resolve crumbled and Reid felt the tears starting to fall.

"I'm sorry," he managed to get out, even as he returned the embrace he was being held in.

"Don't ever be sorry for showing emotion," Rossi replied. "I don't care what society says, it's okay for anyone to cry under certain circumstances but I do want one promise from you. You need to promise me that when Amber gets back, you tell her about everything that's happened. She deserves the truth and it's the only thing that is going to assure a successful relationship and whether or not either of you can see it right now, the two of you are right for each other."

Reid pulled away from Rossi, glad for the darkness that hid his flushed cheeks. "I will," Reid promised, reaching up to brush some tears away.

"Things will work out, Spencer. The two of you just need to talk and figure out how to make it work. Believe it or not, I did figure out something after three failed marriages."

Reid didn't know how to respond to that. Instead, he silently took another swipe at the last remaining tears on his cheeks.

The two stood there silently for a few minutes, and when Rossi felt that Reid had himself under control once again he reached out and rested a hand on the younger man's shoulder.

"What do you say we head back inside? You've got a few people worried about you now, and I think we could all use some sleep."

Reid nodded and let himself be lead back into the house.

* * *

><p>One by one the BAU family left for their respective homes. As Reid was staying with Morgan at least for the rest of the night, Rossi was the last one to get ready to take his leave. The elder gentleman had already made plans with his future son-in-law to go replace the lost cell phone and then grab lunch. Rossi had every intention of keeping a close eye on the young genius for the next few days. Knowing what he did of Reid's past, and getting a close look at the emotional state he was in right now, he knew the young man was in a fragile state right now. Why he did believe that Reid's fears were unfounded that didn't make them any less valid. Rossi felt it was his responsibility to get Reid to Wednesday, when Amber would be back from Atlantic City, and then hopefully the two of them would sort things out between themselves.<p>

~_It didn't work when Wendy left you, _~ a small voice said in Rossi's mind.

To this day, his third marriage was the one he regretted not having worked out the most. Wendy was the ex-wife he missed the most, and the one whom he had the best relationship with. Yes, he had contact with the other two but though he would call them friends. Wendy was his best friend. Maybe, if he played his cards right, might be more than just a friend some time soon. Like he had scrambled to try to save the marriage thirteen years ago, Rossi planned on making the most of this second chance he was being offered now. Wendy had gotten the job with the D.C. branch she had interviewed with, and he had helped her get settled in her own apartment in the city just last weekend. Perhaps things would work out this time. Only time could tell. The one thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to be sitting alone in his house after his second retirement alone, wondering what might have been if he had only tried to win her back. However this worked out, at least he would know.

And the last thing Rossi wanted for his daughter was to have those same regrets. Yes, he had made a lot of mistakes when it came to love, but he wasn't blind. Even he could see how right Amber and Spencer were for each other. It showed in how much happier Amber was since the young genius had come back into her life. Showed in the young couple's eyes when they were together. Showed in both of their desires to give up dreams to make things better for the two of them together. And mostly it showed in the torment that these last few weeks had caused both of them. Rossi wanted these four weeks to end, not because he wanted his daughter back in the area close to him, but because he wanted to see this torment end for two people that he loved.

"So, I'll pick you up at eleven," Rossi told Reid as he stood gathered around the front door with his two teammates.

Reid nodded. He and Morgan had already made plans to stop by the townhouse before that to grab some of Reid's things as the young genius had given into Morgan's insistence that Reid spend the next few days with him. Reid knew that resisting would only mean Morgan's continual presence at his own home, even if it meant sitting outside the townhouse in his vehicle, so he had agreed to the arrangement. Reid knew it would put both Morgan and Rossi's mind at ease if he wasn't staying alone and when it came down to it, Reid had no desire to want to go back to the empty townhouse. The loneliness had been what had driven him out in the first place, and the protests his body made at every movement reminded him that he had no desire to repeat what had happened earlier this evening.

Before anything else could be said among the three men, Rossi's phone rang. The elder gentleman quickly pulled the phone out of his pocket and after a quick glance at the screen answered the call.

"Hey, Sweetie," Rossi said. "It's good to hear your voice."

"I was told you called inquiring about the helicopter crash and I saw all the calls from you and Spencer. Sorry to have worried you. I would have called before this but it's been nonstop for most of the night."

"I completely understand. I'm just glad you're safe, though I'm sorry to hear about your two colleagues. How are the two that were rescued?"

"They'll make it. I think the emotional recovery is going to take them longer than the physical healing. I wish we could have saved the pilot and the copilot though."

"You did your best. I know that isn't much consolation but sometimes it's all we've got."

"I know and I'll be fine. Don't worry about me. I just need some time," Amber told him. She paused briefly before continuing. "Dad, have you talked to Spencer tonight? I've got quite a few missed calls and a few messages from earlier but I can't reach him now. I keep getting the answering machine at the townhouse and his phone says the number has been temporarily disconnected."

"Spencer's fine. He's right here with me. The number was disconnected because he lost his phone. Hold on a moment and I'll give him the phone.

"Okay."

Rossi handed the phone to Reid. Rossi and Morgan heard the younger man's words of greeting as he walked away from them.

"She going to be okay?" Morgan asked, looking away from Reid and over at Rossi.

"She will be. Losing victims and colleagues is rough, I don't have to tell you that, but she'll get through it. She has before."

"What about them, Rossi?" Morgan asked, tilting his head in Reid's direction. "Do you think they're going to make? This job isn't exactly the easiest on marriages and neither is a career in the service branches. Something has got to give."

"I know that," Rossi replied. "And the best thing about the situation is that deep down both Reid and Amber realize that too. They've got a rocky patch ahead of them, but I think they'll be okay. I sure would hate to see my daughter make the same mistakes I have."

"And what about you?" Morgan said, a mischievous grin coming to his face. " I noticed you and your third ex looked kind of cozy with one another leaving the office for lunch the other day. Attempting to rectify a past mistake?"

"Just how do you know that was my third ex?" Rossi asked, his gaze drifting back over to Reid, who had his back to the two of them. Reid of course would have recognized Wendy, but would he have told their teammates who she was. He knew Aaron wouldn't have.

"It wasn't, Reid," Morgan said, catching Rossi's glance. "The kid wouldn't spill. Told us to ask you if we were so curious."

"Then how?"

"Garcia worked some of her magic."

Rossi nodded knowingly. He should have known. If Garcia had gone looking into his last marriage though, how much more digging had she done. "And what else did Garcia find out?"

Morgan's grin grew. "What makes you think she found anything else out?"

"If it's one thing I've learned with my short time with this team, it is that our favorite tech analyst doesn't just skim the surface."

"Erin Strauss! Really Rossi, what were you thinking?" Morgan asked, happy to let the older man know that they had found out about his second marriage. "Though it really does explain the tension between you two."

"I'm not sure I was thinking at the time," Rossi admitted. "We were still young. I was still getting over my first divorce, and I do believe alcohol was involved. That's the weird thing about memory. It gets a little fuzzy at times."

"I'm sure it does," Morgan said, still grinning broadly.

"Are those two planning on talking all night?" Rossi asked, in an attempt to change the subject. The older man reached up and ran his fingers along the inside of his collar as if the article of clothing had suddenly started to feel tight. "Perhaps I should just leave the phone for now."

Morgan reached out and clapped a hand on Rossi's shoulder. "I'll take the hint, man. No more talk about wife number two."

Rossi nodded. The two profilers stood in silence for a few minutes and then unable to resist Morgan broke the silence.

"Strauss' oldest girl isn't secretly yours, is she?" Morgan asked with a grin.

Grumbling something under his breath, Rossi headed across the room to where Reid was standing to either retrieve his phone or let Reid know he'd get it when he came to pick him up.


	16. Confessions

David Rossi walked in silence through the woods, enjoying the peace. He carried their kills for the day, two ducks that Amber and shot and one that he had, in one hand and his gun in the other. Mudgie trotted along the path ahead of him. Beside him, Amber walked silently.

Rossi glanced over at his daughter as they walked. He knew there was something troubling her and he didn't think it had anything to do with the death of her two fellow Coast Guard officers a few days ago. The two of them had talked that over when she had called Monday after attending the memorial service they had at the base for the pilot and copilot that had died in the helicopter crash Friday night. The coast guard officers' bodies had already been sent home to their respective families for burial, but the memorial service was a chance to give their colleagues some closure.

That call had also been the one which she had asked him if he could get today off. The only thing she would tell him that was she needed some time alone with him when she got back from Atlantic City. Getting the time off hadn't been difficult - having simply told Aaron he needed to take a personal day. His friend hadn't asked the questions that Rossi had seen in his eyes, and had simply told him to take the time he needed. What had proved difficult today had been waiting Amber to reveal to him why she wanted to spend time alone with him. She still hadn't opened up and it took every ounce of will power he had not pose questions to his contemplative daughter. He had enjoyed the time spent hunting with her but he did wish she would open up.

Rossi's first thought was of her relationship with Reid. He knew his teammate had been troubled by Amber's assignment in Atlantic City. Friday evening had been a sure sign of that, although Rossi had seen it himself in the young man over the past few weeks. Aaron had admitted that Reid had come to talk to him about his relationship with Amber but wouldn't reveal what the conversation had been about, and Rossi hadn't pressed. Nor had he tried to pressure Reid into talking with him. Reid's admission that night in Morgan's living room had been the most the young genius had opened up to him about, despite Rossi's attempts at bringing the subject up again over lunch the following day. Besides, perhaps it was best if he stayed out of their personal problems giving the complicated relationship they all shared. And despite his attempts to reassure Reid that he wasn't in fact losing Amber, now, as he watched his daughter's troubled face, his only thought was that perhaps Reid had been right after all.

The sun caught on the diamond in the ring she wore on her left hand. The fact that she still wore the ring said something in itself. If the decision to breakup with Reid had already been made, she wouldn't still be wearing the ring, at least not in his experience. One of the things his ex-wives all had in common was that flinging the engagement ring and wedding band at him had been one of their first actions when they had told him it was over. Erin had been the only one who had managed to hit him with the piece of jewelry.

Suddenly, Amber broke from the path and headed for a nearby tree. Rossi called for Mudgie to stop as he watched his daughter. One hand on the trunk, she emptied the contents of her stomach onto the forest ground. It was the second time she had thrown-up since they had been out hunting, though she had insisted she felt fine. Another thought for Amber's pensive mood came to mind.

"Sorry," Amber said, as she returned to the trail.

"Not a problem," Rossi told her, as the two resumed their walk. "Though is there something you would like to tell me?" he asked, unable to remain quiet any longer. "I mean you did ask me to get the day off so we could spend some time together. I figure there must be a reason."

Amber smiled, knowing what question her father was asking in his round about manner. "There is, and I have a feeling you are already thinking along the lines of what it might be so I might as well just come right out and tell you. Dad, I'm pregnant. The base doctor confirmed it at the beginning of the week."

"Congratulations!" Rossi said, genuinely happy. ~_I'm gonna be a grandfather_, ~ he thought proudly already looking forward to breaking the news to Wendy and Aaron at the first opportunity. _~Though Amber may want to tell Wendy herself_, ~ he amended silently. "I'd hug you but, my hands are kind of full," he told her, even as his mind recognized the lack of enthusiasm of the announcement. "And you're not happy about the situation, why?" he asked next, not even bothering beating around the bush anymore.

"It's not that I'm not happy about it per say," Amber told him, after a sigh. "You know I've always wanted a child and this development played a huge part in my decision not to re-sgin with the Coast Guard when my current contract is up, though it's not the only one."

"Then you've made that decision for sure?" Rossi asked. Amber had told him herself about the possibility during one of their conversations while she was away. Amber nodded. "Without talking it over further with Spencer?" Rossi asked, going on his gut with that speculation.

"Dad, it's my career. If I don't want to continue to serve the Coast Guard then that is my choice to make. While I don't mind the prospect of moving around and serving in remote locations that isn't the kind of life I want for my child. The move between Texas and Virginia and then back to Texas, while necessary, was hard enough. I want to be able to provide as stable an environment for my child as I can."

"Unlike what your Mom and I provided for you," Rossi ventured, a sadness in his voice. He had tried to do right by his daughter, but he knew he had failed in a lot of ways.

Amber reached out and looped her hand around her father's upper arm as they walked. "Dad, I'm not blaming you and Mom. I know the two of you loved me and tried hard to give me what I wanted growing up, you maybe a little hard than she did, and I love you both for that. Can you blame me for wanting for my child what I didn't have though?"

"No. I can't blame you for that. I still think you should have already talked this over with Spencer, though."

Amber sighed. She hesitated to tell him the rest, even though it was what she wanted to talk about. "Spencer might not even be in the picture once he finds out. We've talked about having kids, and he's adamant that he isn't ready."

Rossi gave a quick short laugh. "Yeah, well don't just assume he's going to run because of that. I think all men say they're not ready at first. I know I did myself up until the first time I held my little girl in my arms, two weeks after she was born."

Amber smiled at the shared memory even as she continued. "It's more than that with Spence though. He's worried about passing along schizophrenia and I get where he is coming from, I do, but with his own fears about his own health this might be enough for him to change his mind about us. What if he leaves me because of this?"

"Oh, Sweetie, Spencer isn't going to leave you over this," Dave said, thinking about his own conversation with his co-worker the previous Friday.

"How do you know that, Dad? I'm the one who has had the conversations about having children with him. I was there when he had to commit his mother to Bennington. I know just how much he lives in fear that he'll turn out like her even as he deals with the guilt of sending her away!"

"Amber, take a deep breath and calm down," Rossi said, wishing he didn't have the gun and the ducks in his hand so he could give her a hug. He did however stop walking and turned to face her. "Let me assure you that if, and that's a big if, Spencer leaves you over this, then he isn't the man I thought he was. Also, I will be there every step of the way to help you raise this child. You're my daughter and this baby is my grandchild, so I love you both and will do anything for you. However, I think you're worrying over nothing and I think you need to tell Spencer about this as soon as possible. For both your sakes."

Amber looked at her father curiously. "Dad, do you know something I don't?"

Dave sighed. What happened on Friday night, the choices that Reid had made that night - they needed to come from Reid, not him.

"Look Sweetie, a lot happened while you were gone. Yes, right now I do know some things that you don't, but you need to talk to Spencer. What I know, you need to hear from him and I think you've got something that you need to tell him, too. Basically, you two need to be open with each other. And Amber, don't hold anything back - even if you think you're protecting Spencer by doing that. It'll only hurt your relationship in the long run."

"I'm scared, Dad. I don't want to lose him."

"You won't. I can tell you that is the one thing the two of you have told me - that you don't want to lose the other. Just talk to him. Tell Spencer what you're feeling and no matter what life throws at the two of you, you're going to be okay."

Amber nodded. "I will."

"Besides, this proud grandpa to be can't gloat until you inform the father of that baby," Rossi added with a grin.

"Planning on handing out cigars?" Amber asked, as she started walking down the trail again.

"Possibly," Rossi replied, as the two made their way back to where they had left Amber's truck. "How about dinner tomorrow night? I'll cook these up for us," Rossi suggested, holding up the three ducks. He knew the two of them needed tonight to themselves.

"That sounds good," Amber said. "Whether it will be both of us or just me, I guess we'll see."

"Things will be fine, Rosa Mia," Rossi said confidently. No matter what his fears were about having kids, he just couldn't see Reid leaving Amber over a child. Spencer Reid did not strike him as the kind of man who wouldn't take responsibility for a child that he helped create.

* * *

><p>Amber absently twirled and untwirled the spaghetti noodles around her fork. She hadn't really been in the frame of mind to cook, despite it being her first night home, so she had prepared the pasta the easy way - store bought pasta, jarred sauce and frozen meatballs. Amber could almost hear the lecture her grandmother would give her about her culinary sin if she knew. In her preoccupied state though, she just didn't have the inspiration to cook from scratch. Nor did she have much of an appetite.<p>

The meal had been ready when Spencer had gotten home from work. After greeting him at the front door, the two had settled down across from one another at the table. Even with the food in front of her, Amber didn't have much of an appetite as she pondered how to bring up the news that she had to break to the man sitting across from her. The man she loved and didn't want to lose.

Finally deciding that putting it off wasn't helping anything, Amber put her fork down and looked across the table at Spencer.

"Spencer, I need to . . ."

"Amber, I've got a . . ."

They had both started speaking at the same time, and as their words tumbled over one another's they both trailed off.

"You go first," Amber said, looking for any excuse to put off breaking her news to him a little longer. Though it did affect both of them, Spencer could walk away easier than she could. She was in this for the long run, no matter what. As for Spencer, well one possible outcome of this conversation that she could see was him walking out the front door. ~_And if that happens the first thing I'm doing is calling Morgan to make sure Spencer ends up somewhere safe_, ~ Amber thought even as she gazed across the table at her fiancé, waiting for him to continue.

"I'm not quite sure how to tell you this, but you deserve to know, not to mention your Dad would probably strangle me and then tell you himself if I don't tell you as I promised him that I would tell you," Spencer rambled, his eyes focused on the pasta in front of him. The genius twirled the fork once more, before sighing and putting it down. Leaning back in his chair, he let his hands drop to his lap. Still not meeting Amber's gaze, he said quickly. "I went out Friday night looking to buy some Dilaudid."

"What?" Amber said, the one word coming out automatically. It wasn't that she hadn't heard or understood the statement but that it took her totally by surprise. Spencer had been doing so well in his battle for sobriety and to think he might have thrown that all away. "You said looking to buy. Does that mean you didn't go through with it?"

Spencer shook his head slowly but didn't look up. "I just couldn't. There I was, standing in the alley with these two men, ready to make the exchange and all I could think of was how disappointed you would be in me. That even if I hadn't already lost you then doing that, buying that drug, would seal more than one deal."

Amber pushed her chair back and got to her feet. Even as Spencer continued to talk, she made her way around the table to him.

"I knew that if I went through with buying the drug, with shooting up, that I would lose you forever if I hadn't already and I don't want to lose you. I can't lose you. Not a second time. I'm not sure what I did wrong but I'll do anything to make it up to you."

"You're not going to lose me, Spencer," Amber said, as she knelt down next to his chair. She reached out and placed her hand over top of his hands which still laid folded in his lap. There were so many clarifications she wanted about what she had just heard but she knew they could wait for a bit longer. "I love you - flaws and all. Yes, I would have been disappointed if you had gone through with it, but I wouldn't have left you. I would have just helped you start over counting days but I am so proud of you for not giving in."

"I almost did. I was right there and then I backed out. Needless to say the two men I was buying from weren't happy."

"Did you see a doctor? Are you alright?" Amber asked, knowing exactly what he meant by those last words.

"A doctor wasn't necessary. It was just a few scrapes and bruises. You should be getting use to seeing those on me."

"That isn't funny," Amber scolded him, fixing her fiancé with a scolding look.

"Yeah, your Dad and Morgan weren't too amused with that comment either," Reid confessed sheepishly.

The mention of her Dad made a lot of things click for her. The missing phone. Why they had all been at Morgan's that night when she had talked to her father and Reid. Her Dad's admission that he knew things that he felt she needed to hear from Spencer. Her father was right. She and Spence did need to talk. They needed to be honest with one another and discuss their future or the very thing she feared most, that she and Spencer would become just another failed relationship just like so many of her parent's marriages, was going to come true.

Amber glanced at the table and Spencer's almost untouched plate. Apparently she wasn't the only one with no appetite tonight. Getting to her feet, Amber grasped one of Spencer's wrists in her hand.

"Come on, let's go finish this discussion in the living room," she told him, a slight tug all that was necessary to coax him to his feet.

Reaching the couch, Amber settled on one end and pulled Spencer down on the couch next to her. Before she could say anything to resume the conversation they had been having in the kitchen, Reid was speaking.

"I'm so sorry. After all the sleepless nights, I've put you through, the hours you have spent sitting in your truck while I'm at some meeting, and the things you've done to distract me from my cravings and I go and throw all of that right back in your face with one moment of weakness."

"I don't see it that way, Stecchino," Amber told him, the Italian word coming out in her familiar Texan accent. She was sitting sideways on the couch, one leg on the cushion between her and Reid, as she held his hand. She saw the slight shake of the Las Vegas native's head, as he prepared to disagree with her again. Before he could voice anything, she continued. "Answer this for me, what made you change your mind."

"I remembered all the people I hurt before when I was using, and I knew that this time you and Dave would be included in that group. As much as I wanted to escape, hurting those I cared about to do so wasn't worth it and I knew backing out wasn't a good idea. That going through with the deal and then wasting the drug would have saved me from the beating, and losing my phone along with wasting the money. However, I was afraid that if I had the drug in my possession I would have used it," Spencer said, not able to look up at his fiancé. "I'm sorry. I'm weak. I can't blame you for not wanting to be with me. I don't deserve you."

"A weak man would have bought and used the drugs. A weak man would have thrown fourteen months of sobriety away. You didn't."

"I wanted to. I felt like I was losing you - that I am losing you."

Amber reached out and placed her hand on Spencer's cheek, turning his head to face her. "I'm right here. I have no plans on going anywhere," she told him, leaning in to capture his lips with her own.

It was several minutes before the two pulled away, both slightly breathless. Amber thought about the news that she had been keeping from him. "Though you might not want to continue this relationship when I tell you what I have to say," she said quietly.

The whispered words caught Spencer's ears and he felt his heart leap into his throat as he realized his feeling that Amber was being distant with him hadn't been just a feeling. Something had happened while she was in Atlantic City. Had she gone out with another guy? Kissed someone? Whatever it was, Reid found that he really didn't care. Hell, she could have slept with another guy and he still wouldn't want to lose her. Who was he to hold anyone to high standards?

"Whatever it is we'll work through it, Heliades," Spencer whispered, the old pet name slipping out easily. He'd had to tell her the myth surrounding the nymphs known as the Heliades which were connected to the mythological origins of amber the first time he had used it but like Stecchino the nickname had stuck.

Completely prepared to hear she had been with another man, Spencer wasn't prepared for what she told him.

"What did you say?"

"I'm pregnant, Spencer. We're going to parents. I know you've said you're not ready, but apparently God thinks we are, but I was concerned about how you would take the news."

"You thought I might run if you told me," Spencer stated.

Amber nodded. "I understand your fears, Spencer, I really do," she said, reaching out to grab his arm as he got to his feet. He slipped out of her grip and stepped around the coffee table, taking a few steps away from the couch. Amber dropped her hands in her lap and stared at Reid's back as she continued. "I was there when you made the decision to commit your mother to Bennington. I know how bad things were and that you made the choice that was best for her. I can understand how you would be afraid of the possibility of going through that again, but that's all it is - a possibility. I know you wouldn't give up the time you did have with your mother to avoid having to deal with everything you did because of her illness. Just like I wouldn't give up what we have because of the possibility you may get sick. I feel the same way about a child."

"Is it really responsible though? I know the fears the child will grow up with, wondering if they're going to get sick."

"Spencer there is no guarantee for any of us. There are so many conditions that we may or may not develop. Injuries that may or may not happen. Life isn't a guarantee."

"It's kind of a moot point now though, isn't it?" Spencer said quietly without turning around. "Despite using protection, we're going to bring a child into this world."

"We knew the condoms weren't one hundred percent effective. We knew this could happen."

"They're only ninety-eight percent effective," Spencer said absently, the statistics something that he could anchor himself with. Something that he could understand. "Two percent chance of failure and it happens to us. So much for the Vegas boy's luck."

Amber got to her feet and started toward him.

"When?" Spencer asked, still not turning around.

"From my estimation, when we were in Texas together," Amber told him.

"Maybe that extra night we had together wasn't such a blessing."

Amber paused at the words, leaving her several steps out of reach of her fiancé. "You really don't want this child, do you?"

"It's not that . . . it's just that, I'm afraid I'll turn out like my father. That I'll get sick and leave-"

"Spencer, your father walked out on you and your mother voluntarily. If you were to get sick, it's not the same thing."

"I'd still be leaving you and-"

"Not completely," Amber said, quickly closing the distance between the two of them. Reaching him, she put her arms around Reid, flattening herself against his back and resting her head against his shoulder blades. "I've seen it with your mother, yes there are times that she isn't aware of whom she is and is lost in her own reality but in her lucid moments, there is nothing she takes more pride in than her son."

"I'm scared."

"That makes two of us but we can get through this if we stay together. There isn't anything we can't do if we stay together, Stecchino."

"Somehow, it's so easy to believe that when you say it," Spencer said quietly, shifting in Amber's arms so that he was facing her. Wrapping his own arms around her, he held her close and looked down into here eyes. "Everything has always seemed so much easier when I'm near my water nymph."

"Well she isn't going anywhere," Amber told him, her hands now resting palms flat against his chest as she looked up into his eyes. "I think this sea nymph and her prince are going to be very happy here."

"At least until your next assignment comes in."

"I told you Spencer. I'm not staying with the Coast Guard." She saw him open his mouth to protest and moved one hand to cover his mouth, before he could speak. "Hear me out. I think I've found a way to make this make sense even your logical mind. Before I left for Atlantic City, Garcia suggested that I make a list of the pros and cons of not re-signing with the Coast Guard and I took her advice. In doing so, I realized that the only pro is continuing with my current career which I do enjoy - I won't deny that. However, the cons side had many more items listed on it. I'd be leaving behind people who I care about and who care about me; my father, Aaron -who has been like an uncle to me since I was thirteen, Penelope has become a great friend as have Prentiss and JJ, and Morgan, who I know would not only do anything to protect you but me too. Will and JJ's child will be less than a year older than our own child which means the four of us can figure out how to become parents together. Also, where I leave a career, if you quit and come with me then you're not only leaving behind a career but your family. How can I ask you to do that especially when they're becoming my family too?"

Finishing, Amber removed her hand from Spencer's mouth and placed it on his shoulder.

"You're right. When you put it that way, it does make sense," he responded. "Are you sure though? Somehow, I can't see you being happy not working."

"You're right, I probably wouldn't be but the Coast Guard isn't my only option. I have a computer programming degree from Cal Tech, I'm sure I can find a position somewhere. Then there are the kids I coach at the Y and soon a little one of our own to care for. I've no doubts that I can find a way to make myself happy living here."

"I love you, Amber Rose Rossi. You know that don't you?"

"Oh, I know it but what do you say we prove it to each other, rather than just saying it," Amber said, removing her hands from his shoulders and letting them drop and find his belt buckle.

"Is this a good idea, I mean considering . . ."

"Spencer, I'm already pregnant I don't think there are any other consequences we've got to worry about," she told him, seductively.

The buckle undone now, Amber reached up and grasped his tie. Without resistence, Spencer allowed himself to be led over to and pushed gently down onto the couch his fiancé following as lithe fingers now undid the button and zipper of his pants.

"Is doing this down here such a good idea? I mean your Dad does have a key and he usually doesn't knock before entering."

Amber laughed. "The last thing my Dad is going to do is show up here tonight," she told him as her hands continued their work. "I may be his little girl, but he does know how a baby gets created, and he's far from a boy scout in this area. Given a four-week separation, even though he probably doesn't want to think about it, he probably has a pretty good idea of what is going to happen here tonight."

Reid had to agree that Amber made a good point. However he wasn't able to put any of that into words as an involuntary gasp escaped him as Amber's lips found his skin.


	17. Birthday Celebration

_AN: Sorry about the delay. Real life is killing my motivation for writing lately - that and finding the time is hard. I hope you all enjoy this chapter._

**_Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and it's characters do not belong to me I'm simply borrowing them for entertainment purposes. I claim only my OC's and the plot._**

* * *

><p>David Rossi stepped off the elevator fifteen minutes before nine and walked slowly in the direction of his office. He was in a good mood and even the thought of what might have gathered in his desk's inbox and the unread emails awaiting him couldn't damper it. He was going to be a grandfather! He would have gladly been telling everyone he passed the good news except that he wasn't sure how Amber and Reid were going to proceed nor did he know if they wanted everyone to know right away. Though it affected him, this was after all their good news - even if they didn't see it as good news yet. However, Rossi knew he had to share the news with someone or he would burst and he knew exactly who that someone could be.<p>

Walking along the catwalk surrounding the bullpen, Rossi stopped at Hotch's desk and knocked on the office door. Not waiting for an answer he pushed the door open, entering as the office's occupant called for him to enter.

"Good morning, Dave," Hotch said, without bothering to look up from the report he was reviewing. David Rossi was the only person who would bother to knock on his office door when he intended on barging in anyway. He was also probably the only person in the building who could get away with it.

"Morning, Aaron," Dave replied casually, as if he hadn't just walked into the office without an invitation. Just as casually, the elder profiler closed the door behind him and crossed the office to settle in the chair across the desk from Hotch. Leaning back, he waited patiently for Hotch to finish what he was working on.

It wasn't long before Hotch found a stopping point and looked up from his paperwork. Gazing across the desk, he took in his friend's expression and could tell the older man had something he wanted to share. "So what's on your mind?" he asked, unable to deny the curiosity he felt.

"I'm going to be a grandpa," Dave replied, his voice full of pride.

"Congratulations!" Hotch said, a broad smiling coming to his face. "Is that why Amber wanted to spend time with you yesterday?"

"Yeah. She was pretty worried about how Spencer was going to take the news."

"You found out before Reid?" Hotch asked incredulously. Across the desk he saw Dave nod. "I hope she plans on telling him soon."

"She was supposed to tell him last night. I hope she did, for both their sakes," Dave said thoughtfully. He shook his head slowly as he continued. "I want my daughter happy, Aaron. I don't want to watch her make the same mistakes that I did. Spencer makes her happy and they're right for each other. All they've got to do is remain open with each other and they can make this work. Here lately," Dave paused, thinking about both his conversation with Spencer after his Friday night outing and the conversation yesterday with Amber, "well, let's just say if I thought it would help anything I would have happily knocked some sense into both of them."

"I know Spencer's been worried about how things are going with Amber in Atlantic City," Hotch commented. He saw the question in Dave's eyes as he looked across the desk at him. "I had a conversation with Reid on the jet. He admitted some of his feelings to me."

"Well, hopefully they both took my advice and talked to one another," Dave commented.

"I'm sure things will work out," Hotch said, his voice revealing a confidence that he wasn't sure he really felt. After all, he had thought he and Haley's relationship could stand the strains of this job but apparently he had been wrong about that. Still, he was rooting for Amber and Spencer. They both deserved to be happy.

Dave nodded, unable to think of a response. One thought did occur to him though. "Oh, for now, keep the good news to yourself. I probably shouldn't have said anything myself even to you, but I had to tell someone. I'm not sure they're going to be spreading the news around immediately."

"My lips are sealed," Hotch replied as his thoughts went back to when Haley had told him she was pregnant. Even though they had been trying to have a baby for a while at that point that news had still left him feeling a little overwhelmed. The sudden realization that you were going to be responsible for a child's well being was a huge step. If Amber and Reid hadn't been planning on this happening, he could only imagine how much bigger that impact must have been. Like JJ had, he could see them wanting to keep things quiet around the team for a little bit.

"Thanks," Rossi replied, before deciding to change the subject. "You're coming tomorrow night, right?" he asked, referring to the belated surprise birthday party that Garcia had planned. Though he had gone to Atlantic City to take his daughter out to dinner on her twenty-eighth birthday, he had been more than willing to foot the bill for Garcia's birthday plans.

"Yes, I don't think Amber would forgive me if I didn't show up not to mention I can use a bit of time to unwind. I'm bringing Jack with me and he's ecstatic that he gets to go swimming in the middle of September."

Rossi smiled. Jack did enjoy swimming in the summer and he was sure this extra opportunity had gone over well. Reserving the Y pool for a couple of hours had been expensive but he had to give Garcia credit - it was a brilliant idea. Amber would already be there with the kids that she coached swimming to, and he had managed to reserve it for directly after that class. They would be able to surprise her at the Y with her gifts before she had a chance to leave. They would then go grab pizza and have cake at a nearby pizza place to finish off the evening.

"I guess I should leave and let you get back to work. I'm sure I can find something to do to be productive," Rossi said, as he got to his feet.

"As I added files to your inbox yesterday I would say that is a guarantee," Hotch replied, a small smile coming to his lips as Rossi gave a small groan.

"Couldn't ya give an old man a break?"

"You can always retire again," Hotch suggested.

"Amber would love that. From what I hear, grandparents are viewed as a great solution too childcare these days," Rossi quipped as he headed for the door.

"I've got quite a few years until I can test that theory out," Hotch replied.

Hotch heard Rossi mutter something as the older profiler reached for the doorknob. He didn't bother asking his friend to repeat the words as he was sure he knew the general gist of the comment. As Rossi left for his own office, Hotch glanced at the clock. It was now past nine o'clock and automatically Hotch's gaze went to the view of the bullpen outside of the office window, making sure his agents had arrived.

Sure enough he caught a glimpse of JJ's blonde hair as she made her way into the bullpen with some files. The media liaison had her usual smile on her face as she passed the folders out to their intended recipients. Morgan and Prentiss clearly didn't share the blonde's enjoyment of the familiar morning activity. Hotch's gaze went to the youngest agent on the team who barely looked up as he JJ placed the manilla colored folders. Reid looked to be preoccupied this morning and given the news that he had just received from Rossi, the unit chief had a pretty good idea what it was that was holding the young doctor's attention this morning. As Hotch watched the interaction in the bull pen, he wondered how long Reid would keep the information to himself. Or perhaps the question would be how long Amber would keep quiet about it, as Hotch was sure that once Penelope knew the rest of the team would find out soon enough.

Finally looking away from the scene in the bullpen, Hotch returned to his paperwork. With the exception of Garcia, he knew that his agents had made their way into the office this morning. Knowing the tech like he did, he was sure she was present to and already in her 'lair'. If she wasn't, well then one of the others would alert him to that fact before too long.

* * *

><p>Amber waved to the last of her swimming students as she left the pool area with her parents. Another lesson was over and she hadn't realized until she had been immersed in the lesson how much she had missed this while she had been in Atlantic City. The kids had all made progress while she was away, another Y volunteer having covered for he while she was gone, and she was proud of them. It had only reaffirmed to her that giving up her career in the Coast Guard to stay here in D.C. was the right thing to do. She had broken the news to Lt. Commander Hines, who had been awaiting a decision about the renewal of her contract with the Coast Guard, upon returning to Station Washington yesterday. Her commanding office had taken it in stride, though he informed her that he was going to miss having her as a member of the unit.<p>

So now that it was official, Amber knew she needed to start looking for another job. Her current contract ended on October 10th, less than a month away. As she turned to walk to the women's locker room, she realized that it wasn't much time at all to figure out what she was going to do as a civilian. Despite Spencer's suggestion that she take some time off before jumping into another job, Amber wasn't sure that was the way she wanted to go. Financially, they would be fine if she took some time off - one benefit of being stationed in a remote area such as Kodiak Alaska was that saving money had been easy due to lack of places to go out 'on a Friday night'- but that option wasn't high on Amber's list. Though technically not a legal practice, she knew that getting a job while visibly pregnant would be harder. Her best bet was to either line up a job before she started showing or wait until after she had the baby. The idea of a winter at home with nothing to occupy her time did not appeal to her.

Turning toward the locker room, Amber jumped slightly when she realized she was not alone. Spencer and the rest of the BAU, Will, Jack and Wendy were gathered just outside the locker room. The collaborative "surprise" would have told her what was going on if the gifts in people hands didn't.

"Thanks guys," Amber said after catching her breath from the start seeing all of them standing there had given her. "However, it's a bit past my birthday."

"True, but we weren't able to give you a proper party then," Garcia said, breaking away from the group as she moved to embrace her friend.

"You might want to hold off. I'm kinda wet," Amber said having not yet changed out of her swimsuit from the session with the kids.

"As I plan to be in that pool shortly anyways, it won't really matter, sugar," Garcia told her, holding her gift in one hand and wrapping her other arm around her friend in a one-handed hug.

Amber laughed as she hugged Garcia back, even as she realized that not only Garcia but all of the others were dressed in swim suits too.

"So we're having the party here?" Amber asked as she took a step back from Garcia. Spencer was immediately at her side, wrapping one hand around her waist as they faced the others.

"Well, phase one of the party is here," Garcia told her, answering the question as the others started to crowd around them. "Phase two takes place at the pizza joint. So all we need to know is, do you want to open the gifts here or at the restaurant?" she asked holding up her neatly wrapped gift.

"Why don't we enjoy the pool while we can and open gifts at the restaurant."

"Yay!" came Jack's enthusiastic cry, which caused the adults to chuckle.

Having got her answer, Garcia found a place far enough away from the pool that there was no chance of anything getting splashed, and began organizing the gifts into a pile. Meanwhile, the others took turns wishing Amber a very happy birthday, Spencer having released his hold on her so that she could hug the other well wishers.

When it was his turn, Morgan leaned down and placed a solid kiss on her cheek after wishing her a happy birthday. "I'd gladly have kissed you on the lips but I think Pretty Boy might have something to say about that," he said softly, his lips still close to her ear.

"Dang right I'd have something to say about it," came Reid's reply from where he stood, having been close enough to hear Morgan's teasing words.

Morgan laughed as he straightened up. "Lighten up, Kid," he teased, playfully punching Reid on the shoulder as Hotch stepped up to Amber.

It wasn't long before the gifts were piled up, the birthday wishes made, and everyone was in the water splashing and generally having a good time. Amber couldn't recall a birthday celebration that had been this much fun in recent years. As the group played a game of Marco Polo in the shallower end of the pool, Jack happily perched on top of his father's shoulders ecstatic to be included with the adults, any doubts that she had still felt over her decision melted away.

The Coast Guard, though it would always be a part of her, was a career and leaving it was inevitable. Retirement was something everyone faced, granted some more gracefully than others, and the decisions that you made determined what was left for you afterwards. As much as she fought love and marriage, Amber still knew that come that point in her life, she didn't want to find herself alone. She wanted to have friends and family around her when she finally retired. That was what was important and that was what she had found here in D.C. It was what she had found here with Spencer.

As Morgan moved blindly through the water looking for someone, Amber let her gaze fall to her father. He and Wendy were near the one end of the pool standing together as they watch the game progress.

"Marco," Morgan called out, stopping to listen for the directions that the replies came from.

Amber absently called out "Polo" as she still watched her father and former stepmother. The two made the customary reply, and then Dave pointed to the other side of the pool. As quietly as they could, Dave and Wendy made their way to their new location as Morgan headed in Reid's direction. It was then that Amber realized her father and Wendy were holding hands.

~_Perhaps, I'm not the only one who has realized there is something special here in this place with these people, _~ Amber thought, smiling as she turned her attention back to the game just in time to realize that Spencer was heading in her direction with Morgan not far behind him.

* * *

><p>"So what did Hotch want before we left the restaurant?" Spencer asked, later that night as he walked into their bedroom. He was wearing a white T-shirt and boxers, and his hair was still damp from the shower he had just taken.<p>

"Aaron was telling me that the D.C. office has an opening for a technical analyst about to open up and wanted to know if I was interested in the position," Amber said, looking up from her laptop. She had several IM windows open as she was currently involved in a conversation with Christine, the Kodiak police officer she had boarded with, Vince, and Finney. "Said he could get me an interview even though they're trying to fill the position internally."

Spencer nodded his acknowledgment to the reply as he walked toward the dresser. Amber returned her attention to the computer screen, typing a reply to Vince's most recent message about a girl he had met.

"Are you going to take him up on the offer?"

"Yes. I figured I might as well look into it," Amber said as she typed.

"So you're not going to take any time off?" Spencer asked, opening the top drawer of the dresser and retrieving a small wrapped box from his socks that he had stashed there right before leaving for the Y earlier.

"Not if I can avoid it," Amber replied, once again looking up at Spencer as he turned from the dresser. "I'll have to take some time off when the baby comes and then for our wedding. I don't need to take time off now."

"Speaking of the wedding," Spencer said, crossing over toward the bed, his arms at his side as he tried not to attract attention to the box he was holding. "Have you given any thought about when we're going to have it?"

"After the baby arrives."

"Does that mean we'll talk about it after the baby arrives?" Spencer asked, sure that once again Amber was putting off the discussion of the wedding.

Amber smiled. "No. It means we'll get married after the baby gets here because unless we're going to rush and do it this month, I have no plans on being visibly pregnant in my wedding photos, and I'd rather not rush something this important. Unlike my father, I plan on only ever having one wedding. I want it to be special," she told him, as Spencer settled on the bed next to her. "Not to mention we'd have to explain why we're suddenly in a rush to get married and that means telling our friends about the baby, which someone wants to wait on."

"I just need some time to adjust to the news myself before I have people throwing well wishes my way. I don't feel like explaining my fears about having children to everyone."

Amber reached out and placed a hand on her fiance's smooth cheek, gently turning his face toward her. "It's okay. I understand. We tell everyone when you're ready though I will tell you, Aaron already knows. Seems Dad had to tell someone."

"At least it's Hotch that knows and not Garcia. Hotch I know will stay quiet."

"And Pen would broadcast the news just as loudly as some of her outfits," Amber said lightly. "I know. I haven't said a word to her and I don't think that Will has said anything to JJ either," she added as the Cajun had inquired about the topic upon her return from Atlantic City. Given the fact that she had used him as a sounding board, she couldn't very well refuse to update him on the situation.

"You and Will seem to have gotten close," Reid commented, hoping that the twinge of jealousy he felt inside didn't come through in his voice.

"Stecchino, you have nothing to worry about," Amber told him, leaning in to give him a kiss before removing her hand. "Will is devoted to JJ just like I'm devoted to you. Our love for the two of you is actually the reason we've bonded so well. Will understands how much I worry about you when you're away on the case because he worries about JJ in the same way."

Reid considered Amber's words and saw the practicality in them. "So, about a date for the wedding?" he asked, changing the subject back to what had originally started the conversation.

Amber smiled. "As Wendy has promised to make the necessary alterations to my dress, let me consult with her as to a reasonable time frame and get back to you on that," she told him.

"Okay," Spencer replied, before lifting the small wrapped box he had retrieved and holding it up for her. "Happy Birthday, again. I had bought this to give to you at the party and then I chickened out, thinking the others might think it was silly."

"You didn't have to get me anything else," Amber told him, reaching out to take the box from him. The laptop she was using was new, having been given to her by Spencer on her actual birthday.

"I wanted to."

Amber smiled at him, as she started unwrapping the gift revealing a small black box. Lifting the lid, she found a matching necklace and earrings consisting of blue sea glass pendants.

"I thought those fit my sea nymph perfectly," Spencer said softly into her ear.

"They're perfect," she told him, turning her head to kiss him once again.

"How about you say goodnight to your friends and give me a little bit of your time," Spencer suggested as they broke away. "I think they think they're being ignored anyway," he added, waving a hand toward the computer to indicate the flashing icons indicating new incoming messages.

"You think you can take the place of three conversations," Amber teased, already planning on do exactly as he had suggested.

"Oh, I think I can manage to make sure your night is more pleasurable even if it was more than three people you were talking to," Spencer told her before nuzzling her neck.

"Well, I'm certainly willing to let you try," Amber told him, handing him the box of jewelry he had given to her.

As Reid placed the box on the night stand beside the bed, Amber returned to her computer to say good night to her three friends. As much as she enjoyed catching up with them, she wanted to enjoy her fiance's presence even more before a case managed to pull him out of town for a few days.


	18. California Case

_**AN: Hey look I updated! You've got Hx Chick to thank for this update as she's the one who motivated me to actually post this week. Hope I've still got readers out there seeing as I've been really bad at posting lately.**_

**Announcement:**

**NOMINATIONS HAVE STARTED FOR PROFILER'S CHOICE CRIMINAL MINDS FANFIC AWARDS!**  
><strong>Calling all CM readers and authors! Join us for our third annual Profiler's Choice CM Awards on ! Help us choose the best of the best of the CM stories on , and let your voice be heard. Please check out the nomination ballot and rules at Chit Chat on Author's Corner Forum. All rules and information are on the forum.<strong>

* * *

><p>With his go-bag and messenger bag both over his shoulder, and a map of California to plot the locations of the murders on, SSA Spencer Reid strode toward the waiting plane. Morgan, Prentiss and Rossi were not far behind him. He walked with his phone pressed to his ear, taking a few moments to inform Amber where they were headed, a bit surprised that he had been able to catch her at a time where she was able to talk. As her last day at Station Washington was quickly approaching, Amber had been breaking in her replacement at the base into their new role.<p>

"So we're headed to California this time," he informed her. "We're going to be based in Sacramento." With the murders so spread out, they weren't at all sure what they were walking into, or where the case might take them, but at least Sacramento would give her a general idea of where he would be.

"Well, be careful," Amber told him, a common response during these phone calls. "Give me a call tonight when you have a chance.. As for me, I guess I'll call Will and see if he's free to go to the dance lesson with me tonight. It'll give me something to do."

"Sounds like a great plan. Have fun. I wish I could be there with you."

"You know, seven months ago I wouldn't have believed that line, but now I really do think you enjoy dance lessons."

"Anything I get to do with you, I enjoy," Spencer told her.

"Awwww...isn't that a sweet thing to say," Morgan whispered from behind Reid, his voice taking on an amused tone.

Looking over his shoulder Reid saw the grin that Morgan was wearing grow. If he wasn't on the phone with Amber he'd have a thing or two to say to his friend. As it was, he just shot the dark-skinned profiler a look and turned his head again.

"Is that Morgan I hear in the background?" Amber asked.

"Yeah, he's just being a jerk," Reid told her, lowering his voice in the hopes that his co-workers, Morgan especially, wouldn't be able to hear him as easily. Morgan's soft chuckle behind him told him that wasn't the case.

"Be nice," Reid heard Prentiss say. The thump he heard gave him hope that his raven-haired co-worker had given Morgan the smack that he deserved.

"What? I'm enjoying the show," Morgan said.

"At least Reid doesn't forget people's names," Prentiss shot back, brining up the previous conversation about Morgan's encounter at the coffee shop.

"Like, I said - he only has one name to remember."

"I think someone is jealous," Prentiss teased.

"Who me?" Morgan said. "Nah, I like my freedom."

Reid tried to tune out his co-workers as he concentrated on what Amber was saying. "I'm not sure how long we're going to be gone on this one," he told his fiancé in response to her latest question. "We've got a series of murders spread out over a large area. He might be hard to track down. Are you going to be okay, you know considering . . ."

Amber laughed. "Spencer, I hardly think you need to start worrying about my health at this point. I'm not even showing yet. I'm a big girl. I can take care of myself," she told him. "You want to fret over someone, keep an eye on JJ for Will. He's still worried about her still going out in the field with you guys."

"Tell Will not to worry. We'll all make sure she doesn't over do anything."

"Good. Well, I'll let you go. We've both got things to do. I love you."

"Love you, too. Bye," Reid told her, before ending the call.

As he started to put his phone away Reid felt a hand come down on his shoulder. "You mean you're not going to blow her a kiss over the phone, Lover Boy?" Morgan asked teasingly.

"Give me a break, man," Reid replied, shrugging Morgan's hand off his shoulder and starting up the steps, having reached the jet. Morgan's laughter followed him on board.

* * *

><p>"I just really wish she would stop going on these cases until after the baby is born," Will said, as he pulled three plates from the cupboard. He had invited both Penelope and Amber over for dinner before he and Amber went to the dance lesson that evening. Amber had already arrived while Penelope was picking up Chinese on her way from the BAU. "Her due date is only about two months away. She keeps it up and she's going to have that kid while on a case."<p>

"I think you are worrying too much," Amber told him, retrieving silverware from the appropriate drawer. Having been over to Will and JJ's house plenty of times, either with Spence or by herself while their spouses were away on a case, Amber knew her way around their kitchen as well as she did at her own place. "JJ knows what she is doing. She isn't going to do anything to put the baby in jeopardy. Not to mention Aaron and the others are going to keep an eye on her too. She's just pregnant Will, not an invalid."

Will walked over to the table and started placing the plates on it. "I'm the father to be, I think I'm entitled to be a little over protective. You mark my words, Spencer is going to be the same way."

Amber laughed, as she grabbed three glasses from the cupboard. "I don't have to wait. He's already started," she told him as she made her way to the table. "He was worried about me being alone while he's out of town."

"I rest my case, Mon Ami," Will told her lightly.

"You men aren't so tough when it comes to babies are you?"

"Apparently not," Will admitted, as the doorbell chimed. "That's probably Penelope. I'll be right back. Why don't you have a seat?"

"Don't you start on me now too, Will LaMontagne. I'll get the drinks while you go answer the door."

Will held his hands up in surrender. "Yes, ma'am," he replied in his Louisiana drawl and started for the front door.

It wasn't long before the three friends were sitting at the table, Chinese food on the plates in front of them. After Penelope brought Will and Amber up to date on the case as much as she could, the conversation changed from work to something a bit more fun.

"I was thinking it might be best if we did the baby shower at your house, Amber," Penelope said as she brought up the subject of JJ's surprise baby shower. "You can invite her and Will over for lunch and she'll never suspect at thing."

"I guess that means getting her there is my responsibility?" Will ventured.

"But of course," Penelope replied.

"I was thinking you and Spence could disappear somewhere for the afternoon so neither of you will be subjected to the antics of a group of women all afternoon."

"Now that sounds like a plan," Will replied. "Though if there is anything I can do to help you get ready for it, let me know."

"Does that mean I can send you and Spencer to the store with the grocery list the night before?" Amber asked hopefully, perking up at the offer Will had just made. She hadn't been looking forward to grocery shopping and preparing the food for the shower, though Pen was helping. Especially as she knew a lot of Friday would be spent cleaning her house.

"Me and my big mouth," Will drawled. The two girls giggled at his response. "But yeah, I'll help with the grocery shopping. I do it enough around here it shouldn't be too hard and if you send Spencer to the store by himself he might start over thinking what brand of paper plates to bring back."

"You're probably right," Amber told him. "I sent him to the store for a few things one time and despite what I thought was a pretty specific list I think he called to double check every item he picked up. I probably would have been better off going myself."

"And yet you let him cook dinner?" Penlope asked.

"Spencer is a very good cook. His problem with going to the store is worrying about getting exactly what I wanted him to pick up."

"Aww, that is so sweet," the technical analyst gushed.

As Amber and Penelope continued to plan the baby shower that was planned for the first weekend of October, Will sort of tuned out of the conversation. While he didn't mind helping out, talking about games the women would play during the shower itself didn't exactly appeal to him. He did however contribute to the menu planning, the two girls relying on him to help them select foods that JJ would enjoy.

By the time the meal was over, Amber and Penelope had the party planned and had split the invitation list between them to contact potential guests. After helping them clean up, Penelope said good-bye to the two of them as Will and Amber headed off for the dance lesson. If nothing else, the activity would keep the two of them from worrying about their significant others for a couple of hours.

* * *

><p>Day two of the case and Reid was grateful that they had made the progress they had on the case. They had discovered the UnSub's mode of transportation, the railroad tracks. The downside to that was that it meant their UnSub wasn't going to stay in one place too long. Garcia had even discovered three other murders that they hadn't previously known about. Catching him would mean either getting lucky and catching him when he struck or being able to accurately predict his movements and get ahead of him. At least they had been able to provide the locals with a profile. That at least was a step in the right direction.<p>

Now, sitting in the conference room with Prentiss, Reid found himself watching JJ through the window instead of going through the information they currently did have yet again. JJ was sitting at one of the desks in the main part of the station, fanning herself with a file and rubbing her swollen belly. He could clearly remember her pressing his hand against her stomach not long ago, having him feel the sensation of the baby kicking. It had been a unique experience, having never felt something like that before. Yet, his mind couldn't wrap itself around what it would feel like for that movement to be happening within him. As he had told JJ, it had freaked him out. Yet, JJ hadn't seemed phased by it, except for maybe a slight amount of discomfort.

Apparently the baby was still kicking, it he was judging JJ's body language right. As he watched her, his mind drifted across the country to his fiancé. In a matter of months Amber would be in the same condition JJ was now. Would she take to feeling the movement of the baby within her as easily as JJ apparently had? As he pondered it he figured it might be one of those inherent mothering instincts that females seemed to have. However, he was pretty sure that if Amber had him feel their baby kick he would still be freaked out by the movement. He had a feeling that he was going to be freaked out by quite a few things about the whole becoming a parent process. Despite having read all kinds of books on the subject already, Reid didn't feel at all prepared to be the one going through this process. Giving someone else advice had seemed so much easier.

Finally, Reid turned away from the scene and back down at the file he held.

*"You considering it?"

Reid looked up and across the table at his co-worker. "Considering what?" he asked Prentiss.

"Having baby geniuses some day?"

Reid looked away from Prentiss' steady gaze, not sure how to answer that without giving anything away. He was still trying to adjust to the news himself and wasn't ready to tell his teammates. The simple fact was though, it didn't matter what he was or wasn't considering it, he was going to be a father. Was he ready? Would he remain healthy enough to raise them? Would he pass schizophrenia down to them? They were questions that he didn't have answers too nor were any answers forthcoming. They were all wait and see scenarios and his analytical mind didn't like that.

Thankfully, his cell phone rang letting him avoid answering the question.

"Hello,"* Reid said quickly, putting the phone on speaker to include Prentiss in the call.

Reid had never felt so relieved to hear Garcia's voice come over a phone. Pushing all personal thoughts aside for the time being, Reid concentrated on the information that Garcia was supplying them with. At least the questions facing them concerning the case had a possibility of being answered soon.

***dialogue from "Catching Out"**


	19. Talking It Out With A Friend

**Disclaimer: Criminal Minds and it's characters don't belong to me. Amber and my other OC's do.**

_**AN: So, first off to all of you who nominated this story for Best Rossi/Reid story (or any other categories that it didn't make final ballot on) for the 2012 Profiler's Choice CM Awards at the Chit Chat on Author's Corner forum. I just want to thank-you. I'm very flattered and glad that you all like this story that much even if I have been terrible at updating it. Ironically, this is a totally Reid/Morgan chapter but I hope you all enjoy anyway and please go to Chit Chat on Author's Corner and check out the final ballot. There are a lot of great stories and authors listed.**_

* * *

><p>Turning off the shower, Reid stepped from the hotel tub. The bathroom was filled with steam but the hot shower had felt good after the long hours put into the case today. Long hours that had proved successful as the UnSub had been stopped, though not in the way any of them ever wanted. Though the shot Hotch had made hadn't been fatal, the fall from the train had been.<p>

Their purpose was to protect lives. Even though the people they hunted needed to be stopped, their ultimate goal was to bring them in alive and let the justice system decide their fate. Unfortunately, things didn't always go that way, but it never sat right with Spencer when he or one of his teammates had to take a life in order to protect themselves or another victim. He hadn't even been on the scene this time and the incident still troubled him though more because of how it would affect Hotch and Morgan more than any personal effect.

Reid dried off and pulled on a pair of fleece lounge pants and a long sleeve shirt. As he stepped from the steamy environment of the bathroom, he felt a shiver go through him at the cooler air of the rest of the room. Though they had exchanged quick goodnight texts earlier in the night, what Reid really wanted to do was talk to Amber. The fact that it was now approaching midnight held him back, as he knew she worked in the morning.

Instead, Reid took the time to pack up his belongings for their morning departure back to

the East coast. He was hoping that the routine activity would help calm his racing thoughts. It didn't though as he found himself thinking about Amber and if she was feeling okay. She hadn't had any morning sickness yet but she could still experience it. He was also worried about her trying to over do. He had seen how tired JJ had gotten during her pregnancy at times, and Amber was just as independent as the blonde media liaison. Like JJ had gotten aggravated with the team for fussing over her, these last few months, Reid anticipated facing the same thing with his fiance.

Thoughts of Amber naturally led to what the future held for them. There was the baby of course. He was still worried about what kind of father he would make or if he would even be able to be a father to the child. He knew what it was like growing up with a schizophrenic parent and it wasn't something he would willingly subject to anyone.

Finishing his packing, Reid went to the window. Staring out into the darkness, lights of the city sparking seven stories below, he continued pondering his fears. Thoughts that he had tried sorting through many times before and like before he could find no answers. Crossing his arms, and holding them tight against himself he found himself wondering if being in a relationship with Amber was even fair to her. As much as he loved her, he didn't want to be the one to bring any hardship onto her. Perhaps he had made a mistake proposing to her.

A knock at the door caused him to jump, as it tore him from his thoughts. Recovering he started toward the door wondering who would be knocking on his door at this hour of the night. Glancing through the peep hole he saw Morgan standing in the hallway.

"Hey, Kid. I didn't wake you, did I?" Morgan asked as Reid opened the door.

"No. I haven't even tried to lie down yet," Reid replied. "Something wrong?"

"No. Not really. Just having a hard time relaxing after the night I had," Morgan replied. He held up a bottle of Scotch. "Thought a couple of drinks might help but I don't really feel like drinking alone," the dark-skinned profiler added.

Figuring that listening to Morgan talk about his troubles was more appealing than continuing to wade through his own insecurities, Reid pushed the door open further and stepped aside. Morgan entered the room. As he shut the door, the younger man saw his teammate glance toward the room's bed, as if confirming that he hadn't really disturbed Reid's sleep.

"I've got too much on my mind to fall asleep," Reid said, walking over to the dresser where two glasses provided by the hotel sat.

Reid followed Morgan over to the table where they both sat down. The ice bucket still held some ice as Reid had filled it up as soon as he had gotten to his room tonight. The glass of ice water he had poured then sat half-filled on the table.

"Want to talk about it?" Morgan asked, opening the bottle of Scotch.

Reid hesitated. Part of him wanted to but another part of him was hesitant. He had after all told Amber that he wasn't ready to tell people they were going to have a baby yet, and he knew if he started talking about what was troubling him the subject would come up.

"Maybe later, " Reid replied, scooping a bit of ice into the glasses and pushing them across to Morgan. "Besides, it seems to me like you came searching for someone to talk to yourself."

"I just didn't want to drink alone," Morgan countered, as he poured Scotch into one of the glasses. As he pushed the glass across the table to Reid, he saw the skeptical look his friend wore. "Okay, so you're not buying that one, huh?"

"I may be socially inept in some situations but I am a profiler," Reid countered, wrapping his fingers around the cool glass and pulling it toward him. Not really wanting the drink, he let the glass sit on the table in front of him, placing his other hand around the cup as well, while Morgan poured his own drink.

"Touche, Kid," Morgan replied lightly, as he finished pouring the scotch and closed the bottle. Unlike his companion, Morgan immediately raised the glass to his lips and took a swallow of the Scotch. The burn of the alcoholic beverage felt good as it slid down his throat.

"The outcome of the case on your mind?" Reid asked, as Morgan placed his glass back down on the table in front of him.

"Yeah, it is. I keep seeing that guy fall from the train and wondering if I could have done something differently to have prevented that outcome."

"The guy was a murderer and resisting arrest. You didn't make him climb onto that train and you most definitely didn't push him from it. What happened is not your fault?"

"Isn't it?" Morgan countered, his dark eyes holding Reid's steady gaze across the table. "Hotch shot him to protect me and he wouldn't have fallen from the train if he hadn't been shot."

"No, from what I hear, you would've been the one that would have fallen from the train. None of the people we chase are worth our lives, Morgan."

Morgan snorted.

"What?" Reid asked defensively.

"You're not exactly the best one to be telling me that. Remember Owen Savage?"

Reid blushed and looked down into the glass of amber liquid. "After the lecture I received from both Hotch and Rossi about that incident, it's a little hard to forget it," he commented. "What I did was stupid and only proves my point even more. Our lives aren't worth theirs. Hotch did what he needed to do to protect a teammate, just like you guys tried to protect me that time."

Morgan silently contemplated Reid's words as he took another sip of the Scotch. "You're right, though it still doesn't sit well with me."

"I'd be concerned if it did," Reid told him.

Morgan gave his teammate a wry smile. "I just wish we could've given his brother better news. That guy has had his world completely shattered today. First he finds out his brother is killing people and then we tell him we killed him trying to apprehend him. I can't shake the feeling that if I had done something differently he wouldn't have died."

Reid's relief at Morgan using the term we the first time left him as Morgan was once again trying to shoulder all of the responsibility for their UnSub's death. "Morgan, we could all take hours trying to analyze our actions during every case we did, trying to figure out what we could have done to affect a different outcome, but it doesn't do any good. Hindsight may be twenty-twenty, but while we're working a case we do the best we can with the information we have. Not to mention, there are too many variables for even me to take all of them into account while things are going on and you can't control the UnSub's actions."

"You make it all sound so logical."

It was Reid's turn to give a wry smile. "I'm a man of science. It's what I do."

Despite the events of the day, Morgan gave a small laugh as he downed another swallow of the Scotch. "So Mr. Man of Science," he said as the lingering effects of the alcohol burned his throat, "want to talk about what is keeping you awake tonight?"

Reid gave an inward sigh. Part of him had been hoping that Morgan would let the subject drop even though another part of him really did want to confide his worries to his friend. And it wasn't like Amber was against telling people about the baby that was his choice, so if that subject came up it wouldn't matter too much.

"You and Amber have a fight?" Morgan asked, making it clear to Reid that his friend wasn't going to let the matter go easily.

Buying a little more time, Reid finally took a sip from the glass he hand been holding on to. Looking up from the glass, he found Morgan gazing steadily across the table at him.

"No, we didn't have a fight."

"Then what's with you?"

"I think I might have made a mistake proposing to Amber."

"What do you mean?" Morgan asked, a confused look coming to his face. "The two of you seem happy together. Hell, you were miserable during her temporary assignment in Atlantic City and from what my Baby Girl tells me, Amber missed you just as much."

"We are happy together."

"Then how could proposing be a mistake. I know my IQ is nowhere near yours, but that doesn't add up in my book."

"It's not fair. I'm asking too much of her. She deserves someone who can take care of her, not someone who might become a burden."

"You're borrowing trouble again, Kid. You don't know that you're going to develop schizophrenia. You can't deprive yourself of years of happiness together on what if's. She's evidently decided it's worth the risk as not only did she seek you out when she moved into the area, but she also said yes when you proposed."

"And who's going to be there for her if I get sick, especially if she chooses to try looking after me."

"Chooses to? You think Amber would leave you if you got sick?"

~_My father left my mother_, ~ Reid thought, but couldn't quite voice that sentiment. Amber had already told him time and again that she would take care of him as long as she was able to and get him the proper help if she couldn't and he believed her. After all, she had supported him through his mother's admission to Bennington and the subsequent visits. She had seen what having a schizophrenic family member was like first hand, and she still hadn't run. Even after they had broken up, Amber had stayed in contact with his mother. No, Amber leaving him wasn't the issue.

"No, I'm afraid that she wouldn't. I know what her life would be like if I were to get sick and I wouldn't wish that on anyone."

"That's really not you choice to make, Kid. It's hers and if she loves you enough to take that risk, then don't go throwing it away."

"I don't want to leave her to deal with everything alone."

"She wouldn't be alone, you know that don't you, Kid. She'd have her father and Hotch to lean on. She'd have me, because as I've told you before you're stuck with me, no matter what happens to you. I'm always going to be there to help anyway I can, and that applies to Amber now too and any children if you two ever decide to have any."

Reid quickly took a gulp of his Scotch, at the mention of children. It was what he had been hoping to avoid bringing up. Having taken too big of a gulp, Reid found himself coughing.

"You okay?" Morgan asked, ready to get to his feet if necessary.

Reid nodded, as he tried to recover. "I'm fine," he finally managed to get out.

Morgan looked across the table at his friend, who was once again concentrating on his glass, critically. "Is there something you're not telling me?" he finally asked.

"Promise not to say anything to anyone," Reid finally said, his gaze flicking up to Morgan briefly before going back to the amber liquid in the glass in front of him. "Rossi and Hotch already know but the others don't yet."

"I promise," Morgan said, his curiosity piqued.

"Amber's pregnant," Reid said quickly, in a voice just barely loud enough for Morgan to hear him.

"Well, congratulations!" Morgan said, enthusiastically. It took him a moment to realize his friend didn't look at all happy about the announcement and only a few seconds longer to realize the real reason for his friend's anxieties. "So it's not so much your future with Amber that has you worried as it is bringing a child into the mix."

"It's not fair them and what if I pass the disease onto the baby?"

"What isn't fair to them? Having a devoted husband and caring father won't be fair to them? Because from what I've seen, you're going to make one hell of a father, Kid. You care about other people in general. I've seen you with Amber and you always try to put her needs before your own. Even now, your worries aren't about you but about Amber and an unborn child."

"At least until I get sick," Reid said quietly.

"You don't know that you will, Kid, and from what I've seen, your mother loves you despite the schizophrenia. Sure there might be times that she isn't able to show it due to the disease but she still loves you and you love her. And from what I've seen, you've turned out okay despite a rough childhood. Stop worrying about what might be and start worrying on more pressing matters."

"Such as?"

"How to tell the others and what color do you want me to paint the nursery?"

Reid smiled at his friend's comment. "Who says you're painting the nursery?"

"I do, because face it, Kid, you trying to do it alone is a trip to the ER waiting to happen. You know Amber won't let you do home improvement projects unsupervised. Besides, redoing a room for the nursery will be my gift to you. I just need to know how you and Amber want it decorated."

"Thanks," Reid replied, appreciative of the gesture Morgan was making. " As for the interior design questions, I think I'll leave that up to Amber."

"And telling the rest of the team?"

Reid smiled. "That's where the grandfather of this child comes into play," he told him as he planned on utilizing Amber's suggestion that they let Dave break the news to their co-workers when he was ready.

Morgan smiled, already imagining a proud David Rossi happily passing out cigars or something to announce his first grandchild.

"Definitely one way to do it," Morgan said, taking a sip of the Scotch. He looked across the table at Reid. "Spencer Reid is going to be a father," he said, his smile turning into a smirk.

"Do you have to keep bringing it up? The whole idea terrifies me," Reid told him. "I just keep thinking what if I turn out being the type of father my own father was? Or what if there are complications during the pregnancy and I end up having to raise this child on my own? I don't think Amber should be working just in case."

Morgan had to laugh at that last statement.

"I don't think my worries are funny, Morgan, there are documented cases-"

"It's not that, Kid," Morgan said, cutting Reid off before he could start spouting facts and figures. "I know there are plenty of things that can go wrong during a pregnancy but a lot of times, things work out just fine. I wasn't laughing at your worries but the thought that you actually think you're going to get Amber to not work during her pregnancy. She's way to independent, just like JJ and you know how she gets when we try to make things easier for her. Has she found another position?" Morgan asked, knowing that Oct. 6th was Amber's last day with the Coast Guard.

Reid nodded, happy to have the subject of the conversation off of him. "Yes, she did. She's going to be a technical analyst for the FBI office in D.C."

"Penelope said they were trying to fill that position internally. They asked her to transfer actually and she basically told them they were crazy as she was quite happy where she was."

"Of course she did. I couldn't imagine Garcia going anywhere."

"Things definitely wouldn't be the same without her," Morgan agreed.

"Apparently Hotch was able to pull some strings and get her an interview," Spencer told him, finally responding to the statement about filling the position internally. "Amber got the call yesterday that she got the position, and she starts orientation with the bureau on the 9th."

"She's not taking a lot of time off between jobs, is she?"

"No. She keeps pointing out that she's going to need time off next spring when she has the baby and then for the wedding."

"Then the two of you have finally set a date?"

"We're narrowing it down," Spencer informed him. "Amber's conferring with Wendy about how long it will take to get a dress ready. It probably won't be until at least June."

Reid and Morgan continued talking far into the morning, both able to put the ordeal of this last case to the back of their mind for now. Though Morgan poured himself a second drink, hoping the alcohol would keep the images from earlier that night at bay when he finally did close his eyes, Reid limited himself to the first glass of Scotch as he shared with Morgan the things that he and Amber had talked about concerning the wedding so far. By the time Morgan left his teammate's room for his own, Reid's thoughts weren't so jumbled and the young genius was able to climb into the too soft hotel bed and fall asleep for the few hours remaining to him.


	20. A Baby Shower,Birthday and Decision Made

AN: So, here's another chapter - and this one has some Rossi/Reid in it this time! Hope you all enjoy. Chapter 21 has some Halloween stuff in it so if Hurricane Sandy cooperates I hop to post it either Tuesday or Wednesday for some Halloween fun. Thanks to all of you who have stuck with this story. Also, don't forget to check out the final ballot for the 2012 Profiler's Choice CM Awards at Chit Chat on Author's Corner and cast your vote - perhaps even cast a vote for this story as you're all reading it *hint, hint*. Seriously though, there are some great authors and stories on the ballot. You've got until November 30th to cast your vote.

* * *

><p>"That looks wonderful guys," Amber said, walking into her living room a week later and taking in the blue and white streamers that were now strung across the room. Other baby shower decorations hung from strategic locations and she had to admit it didn't look bad, especially seeing as she and Penelope had trusted the decorating to the two guys while they had been in the kitchen getting the food ready.<p>

"I told you we could handle the decorations," Morgan replied as he backed down the ladder that Reid had been holding for him.

"I will admit I have been proven wrong," Amber told him. "So, does this mean you're going to hang around for the baby shower too?" she asked in a teasing tone, already well aware what his answer would be.

"Not a chance. As soon as Will gets here with the guest of honor, the three of us are heading for the pool hall. We'll let you ladies have your fun."

"Just don't do anything to get yourselves arrested. Bailing three clowns out of jail is not the way I want JJ's baby shower to end," Amber replied.

Morgan draped his arm across Reid's shoulders. "That is what Einstein here is for - to keep us out of trouble."

"Uh-huh. The only time I worry about Reid getting into trouble is when he is out with you," Amber told him. She placed the bowl of pretzels and the veggie tray with dip that she had brought from the kitchen onto the coffee table.

"Anything else you need help with?" Reid asked, choosing not to get involved in the friendly banter that was passing between his fiancé and best friend. He found it was safer that way, seeing as he sure seemed to get dragged into their jokes enough without saying anything.

"No, I think we've got everything ready," Amber replied, turning back around to face them. "Pen and I appreciate your guys' help."

"Not a problem," Morgan replied. "JJ's our friend too. We want her to have a good time even if we don't want to hang around."

"You know Morgan, given the number of unattached females that are on the guest list, I'm actually surprised you don't want to hang around and get a few numbers," Reid commented, the words coming out in such an innocent sounding tone of voice that Amber had to bite her lower lip to keep from laughing.

Morgan took his arm from around Reid's shoulder and shot the young genius a look. "I do not need a baby shower to pick up women."

"Are you sure? Because you haven't gone out on many dates lately?"

"Work has been keeping me busy," Morgan told him. "I'll show you this afternoon that I haven't lost my game, Kid."

"Sounds like you're taking on a challenge there, Morgan," Amber teased as she headed back toward the kitchen.

"I have," the dark-skinned profiler replied, his tone completely serious.

The chime of the doorbell put an end to further comments on the current subject.

"I've got it," Reid called out to Amber, heading for the front door to see who had arrived. Without checking the peep hole, Reid pulled the door open to reveal Prentiss standing on the other side of the door. "Hi, Emily," Reid replied in a chipper tone. "Come on in," he added stepping aside.

Emily stepped through the door, her eyes taking in the decorations as she did so. "The place looks lovely," she commented as Reid shut the door behind her.

"Why thank-you, Princess," Morgan replied, stepping forward to take the gift bag, she was carrying from her to place it with the ones from Amber and Pen. "Reid and I worked hard making the place look pretty for you ladies."

"Well, we certainly appreciate it," Emily told him. "Am I the first one here?"

"Guest wise, yes," Spencer replied. "Amber and Garcia are in the kitchen fussing over the food," he commented, having already listened to Amber's monologue about whether or not her potato salad was okay. This was after she had thrown out her first batch of deviled eggs the night before claiming she had put too much mustard in them though they had tasted fine to Spencer. The genius had wondered if the mood swings due to the pregnancy hormones were starting already.

"I heard that!" Amber called from the kitchen, causing Spencer to duck his head sheepishly.

Emily chuckled as she headed toward the kitchen to join her friends, leaving Morgan and Reid to their own devices.

The afternoon was progressing smoothly. JJ had been pleasantly surprised by the baby shower when she and Will had arrived. After the guys beat a hasty retreat from the house, the women had wasted no time getting the party started. As hostess, Amber had started the shower off with the games, which caused much laughter and picture taking among the women. Once the games were over, they had sat down to eat, everyone complimenting Amber and Penelope on the food they had prepared.

Now, everyone had gathered in the living rom., JJ sat in the easy chair next to which the presents had been strategically piled by Morgan as the guests had arrived. Taking a seat on the one end of the couch, Penelope puled out a notebook and pen from her bag, having self-appointed herself as record keeper for JJ. Amber had been given the technical analyst's camera and instructed to take pictures of every gift.

"Oh, I love the pen" Emily, sitting next to Penelope, commented as she took in the stork carrying a baby bundle on the top of the blonde's pen.

All eyes turned to Penelope who grinned. "You know me, always got to have the proper accessories for the occasion," she commented. The technical analyst was also sporting stork barrettes in her hair which had already been fused over by the party guests. "Enough about me though. Start opening those presents, girl. I want to see what this boy has got so I can make sure he's properly attired when he arrives."

"Why do I have a feeling you're going to spoil this child before he's a year old?" JJ commented as she reached for the closest gift bag.

"Oh, you can count on it, Jayje," Garcia replied perkily, her pen poised above the paper ready for JJ to read the name of the first gift giver.

Soon the room was filled with oohs and aahs as the gifts were opened and held up for all to see. Flashes went off as pictures were taken of the smiling expectant mother and the gifts.

"Oh, I love it!" JJ exclaimed as she held up a maroon and yellow Washington Redskins pants outfit.

"I knew you would. I wanted to get the crib set but Morgan beat me to it," Emily replied.

JJ reached into the gift bag Emily had brought and pulled out another pants outfit, this one in the colors of the New Orleans Saints, the team logo emblazoned on the front. "This one not so much," she commented, evoking laughter from those gathered.

"Hey, I don't want Will mad at me so I figured I'd go for equal representation."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate it," JJ said as she reached into the bag and pulled out a grey sweat suit, holding it up for her guests to see.

* * *

><p>Five days later thee BAU jet rose into the Colorado skies, heading for the East Coast. On board the profilers of team one found their own ways to unwind after having spent the last four days tracking a serial rapist that had been attacking college females. Tonight, Alan Rochdale was in jail for raping six classmates, two of them dying due to the injuries inflicted.<p>

As he relaxed into the seat, Reid was thankful that the case was finally over and that he could finally head home to Amber. He felt like he had been away on cases more than he had been home the last few weeks. Reid knew it wasn't really anything new but it hadn't bothered him before as there hadn't been anyone back in the D.C. area to miss him, the closest people in his life having always been with him. Now Amber was back home worrying about him and waiting for him to return home.

"Happy Birthday."

Rossi's well wishes brought Reid out of his thoughts with a jolt. Regaining his composure, he glanced across the table at the older gentleman, who had moved from the seat he had been occupying across from Hotch. Rossi was pushing a not so neatly wrapped box across the table toward Reid.

"Thank-you," Reid managed to get out, getting over his surprise. Other than Morgan, who had wished him a Happy Birthday as the two headed to breakfast at the hotel that morning, Reid had thought all of his teammates had forgotten that today was his birthday. Given the flurry of activity the last few days had been, he couldn't blame them.

Reaching out, Reid grasped the box being passed to him. The wrapping paper was dark blue with colorful birthday hats scattered over it.

"I never have been the best at wrapping presents," Rossi told him, trying to explain the wrapping job. "I prefer gift bags but they don't travel well, and I've been carrying that around for the last couple of weeks so I would have it even if we were away on a case."

"It's fine," Reid replied, looking down at the gift and wondering what his future father-in-law could have possibly gotten him. "The wrapping paper usually just gets torn off anyway, so if you think about it, spending time in making it neat is really just a waste of time.

"Then why aren't you opening it?"

Beside Rossi, Morgan snorted in laughter at the comment. The dark-skinned profiler had removed his headphones, soft strains of music still drifting from them, and was watching the exchange with interest.

Feeling his cheeks grow warm Reid slowly started to remove the rumpled wrapping paper from the box. Letting the paper fall to the table after removing it, Reid took a moment to just look at the nondescript black box he was staring at, wondering what could be in it. Before either of his teammates could make a comment about whether he planned on opening the box or not, he lifted the lid from the small box to reveal a gold pocket watch. From the myriad collection of small scratches on it, Reid deduced that it was not a new one. Lifting it from the box, he raised his head to gaze across the table at Rossi.

"It was my grandfather's, a wedding present from his own father when he got married. It's been passed down from father to son at some milestone event ever since. My father gave it to me when I graduated high school. I always figured I would give it Amber, as for the longest time I figured she would never get married, and if she did I wasn't sure I would want to pass it onto a son-in-law as if the marriage didn't work out, the pocket watch would no longer be in my family."

"Then why are you giving it to me?" Reid asked confused.

"Because I believe that you and Amber are going to last forever and I'm going to be proud to officially call you my son when the time comes. I also know that you will respect the history that is in that watch and treat it well."

"I'm touched. This is . . ." Reid let his words trail off, realizing that he really had no way to put his feelings into words. Everything that came to mind just seemed inadequate. Feeling tears well up in his eyes at the emotion that was behind the gift, Reid blinked several times, not about to cry in front of his teammates.

"Why look, Rossi, you've managed to render the walking fact generator speechless," Morgan teased, trying to lighten the mood some. "No fascinating stories about the origin of the pocket watch."

Reid looked up, his eyes still bright with the unshed tears. "Oh, I could enlighten you about the history of the pocket watch but somehow I don't really think you want to hear it."

From his seat next to Morgan, Rossi chuckled slightly at his two teammates. He had a feeling that Reid was correct, and Morgan wanted to know about the history of the pocket watch as much as he wanted to - in other words, no interest at all. Still, even he had seen the emotions that Reid had been holding back and he admired Morgan's quick thinking at diffusing the awkward situation. Reid's reaction to the gift did tell him though that he had made the right decision concerning the heirloom.

"You're right, I don't," Morgan told him. "Although, while your opening presents I might as well give you mine too," he said reaching down into his go-bag which was stashed down by his feet. Morgan pulled out an envelope and passed it across the table to Reid.

Placing the pocket watch back into the box it had come in for safety, Reid picked up the envelope. He cast a curious glance up at Morgan as he tore it open and pulled out two tickets for the New York Philharmonic.

"I thought you and Amber would enjoy the time away and I know you both enjoy the Symphony. I've already cleared you for the time off with Hotch and Amber already knows about the gift so you don't have to worry about that," Morgan informed him.

"Thank-you, Morgan," Reid said, touched by the gift his friend had given him. What with the way work had been going, it would be nice to have some time alone with Amber.

"Just try not to rip her dress this time around, Kid," Morgan teased, having gotten the scoop about Reid and Amber's first trip to the Symphony from Garcia.

Reid blushed at the teasing from his friend. He had more than once wondered why Amber had even considered going out with him after that disastrous first date.

"I wasn't trying to the first time either," he replied defensively.

Morgan enjoyed a laugh at his friend's expense. Even Rossi was grinning although he did have some sympathy for Reid.

"I think we've all had at least one embarrassing date that we would give anything to be able to do over. I know I've had a couple," Rossi commented.

"Really? Oh please share," Morgan requested, his amusement at Reid's expense completely forgotten at the thought of hearing a dating disaster of the great David Rossi.

Rossi contemplated the request. Feeling that his soon to be son-in-law could use a break from being the center of attention, especially considering it was his birthday, Rossi figured why not. With a shrug of his shoulders he started telling his two co-workers about a date in high school that he would never forget no matter how much he wanted to.

* * *

><p>"I'm not sure I'm going to know how to share the covers anymore," Amber commented as she made her way from the master bathroom the following night. Her hair was still wrapped in a towel, drying from her shower.<p>

"I could say the same thing you know," Reid commented, looking up from the book he was currently devouring. He had started it when Amber had gone to take her shower and now there were clearly more pages read than were left. "Though being in my own bed is nice after this last trip. The beds at the hotel were way too soft."

"Poor thing," Amber said teasingly as she slid underneath the blankets on her side of the bed. "Do you plan on finishing that book tonight?"

Spencer looked up from the page and over at his fiancé. "I don't have to if the light will keep you up," he told her.

"The light won't bother me. However, I thought it might be nice to be able to cuddle with my fiancé for a little while seeing as he's actually home tonight."

"Sounds like a wonderful idea," Spencer replied, silently berating himself for not catching onto what she wanted himself. Morgan was right. He really was clueless when it came to the fairer sex.

Putting a bookmark in the book, he closed it and set it on the night table, and then reached out and turned out the lamp. Amber did the same with the light on her side, and moments later was snuggled comfortably against Spencer's side, her head using his shoulder as her pillow.

"I've missed you," Amber said softly, her eyes closed as she waited for the feeling of being sleepy to overtake her.

"I've missed you too," Spencer replied, though he felt guilty knowing that this wasn't just a one time deal. There were going to be plenty of weeks where he was gone more than he was home in the future. More than one marriage had succumbed to the rigorous schedule of a BAU agent, and Spencer wondered if they were being naive to think that theirs would be any different. "You know this isn't going to change though. Cases are going to take me away from here quite often, sometimes for weeks at a time."

"I know what I'm signing up for, Spencer. I grew up with a father in the BAU, remember?"

"Kind of hard to forget, as I work with said father."

"As long as we make the most of the time we do have together, we'll be okay, Spencer," Amber replied confidently.

"Wish I was that confident," Spencer admitted remembering Rossi's advice about being honest with one another was one of the keys to making a marriage work. "But sometimes I find myself thinking that if Hotch couldn't make his marriage work with Haley then what chance do I have what with all the blunders I make with relationships as it is."

"Spencer, nobody is perfect. You're one of the kindest, caring and thoughtful person I know. I consider myself lucky that you want to spend your life with me and I'm not Haley. I know what it's like to have a job that you love but it demands long hours. I know what it means to have teammates that are like family and I know that just because you're away, doesn't mean that you love me any less."

The conversation that he'd had with Hotch on the jet a couple of weeks ago came back to him now. Amber was basically saying what the unit chief had told him.

"Back when we were in college, I don't think we could have made a marriage work at that point but we're not the same people we were then, Spencer. We've both had the chance to chase our dream and experience what life is like on our own. I don't know about you, but I like knowing that there is someone in my life that I can always count on to be there for me when it really counts. Someone willing to share my life. And I know you have your fears about being a father, but for me the prospect of being a mother is more fulfilling than even my career in the Coast Guard was."

"Is the baby why you resigned your commission?" Spencer asked, Amber's words giving bringing new light to the subject.

"It weighed heavily into the decision, yes," Amber admitted. "I want a stable life for my child, not one where they might have to start over and make new friends every few years. Another key factor in the decision is that fact that for the first time since living in LA, I found a place that I truly feel like it's home and not just where I live. I've got my father, Aaron, Wendy and you here for family. Garcia and Will have both become great friends, and as much as I give Morgan a hard time about getting you in trouble I know that he would do anything not only for you but for me too. After all, not too many guys would offer to redo a whole room as a present for a baby." Spencer had told her about Morgan's offer the first chance he'd had.

"Then you'll be happy here in the D.C. area?"

"Yes, though I think I could be happy living anywhere as long as you're with me."

Spencer felt his cheeks flushing at the compliment and was glad for the darkened room as he kissed the top of Amber's head.

"Speaking of the baby's room, do you have any idea what you want to do with it or do you want to wait until we know if we're having a boy or a girl?"

"I was actually thinking a pale blue would be a good choice for the room. It's a good choice for a boy or a girl, and then Morgan can get started on it and not feel rushed. Maybe he can even stencil a row of bunnies around the room about midway up."

"Sounds good to me. I'll let him know."

"And when are you going to clue the rest of the team into the fact that we're going to be parents?"

"I was thinking we could always wait until they start figuring it out for themselves."

"Spencer Reid!" Amber exclaimed, swatting him playfully. "That is so not funny."

"Okay, okay. I guess we can start telling everyone, though I have no clue how I'm going to tell anyone. Telling Morgan was hard enough."

"Oh, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. All I've got to do is call my Dad tomorrow and tell him it's okay to let people know and I guarantee you by eleven o'clock Monday morning the whole BAU will know."

"Seriously?"

"Yes. He can't wait to start telling people he's going to be a grandfather," Amber assured him. "Between Garcia and my dad, this baby is going to be spoiled by the time they get home from the hospital."


	21. Two Announcements

**AN: Here is my contribution to All Hallow's Eve tonight. I hope you enjoy the bit of Halloween fun I put into this chapter. Also, you can check out the other wonderful stories that got nominated along with this one for the 2012 Profiler's Choice CM awards at Chit Chat on Author's Corner. You've got until November 30th to cast your vote!**

_**Disclaimer: CM not mine but the OC's are.**_

* * *

><p>JJ and Hotch were talking about the case JJ would soon be presented as the two of them walked into the conference room. Used to being the first one to the conference room most mornings, the media liaison was surprised to find Rossi already in the room. The veteran profiler was placing small boxes on the table in front of each chair.<p>

"What's this about?" JJ asked, as she walked over to the table.

Rossi looked up from placing a box in front of the last chair. "As soon as everyone gets here, I'll explain," he replied, loosely tying the bag as he sat down in the chair he hadn't placed a box at. He placed the bag on the table in front of him.

Hotch smiled slightly as he strode to his usual spot at the table. Having already been told about the expected addition, he was certain he knew what Rossi's announcement was going to be. What he wasn't sure about was what exactly was in the boxes.

"Chocolate?" JJ questioned, picking up one of the boxes. "Another book go number one on the bestseller's list again?"

"Not yet," Rossi answered not missing a beat. "And don't open that box yet either."

"You're telling a pregnant lady not to open a box labeled chocolate. That isn't a very safe move."

"I'll take my chances. You can't be any worse than dealing with my first wife," Rossi replied.

Beside Rossi, Hotch chuckled at the exchange. JJ placed the box back down on the table as she slowly lowered herself into a chair.

One by one the other team members found their way into the conference room, even Garcia who had been summoned by Rossi to join them in the conference room. "I better not be subjected to any horrific pictures while I'm in here or you may find your electronic world is a little harder to deal with," the technical analyst said as she took the seat in between Morgan and Reid, who immediately picked up the case file, ignoring the box of chocolate.

"Don't worry, Kitten, you can go hide back out in your lair as soon as I make my announcement," Rossi assured her.

"And your announcement is what exactly?" Prentiss asked. "I want to know what is in these boxes, and as Gismondi's homemade chocolate is a guilty pleasure of mine, there had better be some kind of candy in here," the ambassador's daughter said, holding up her box.

"Before I'm the cause of a riot, go ahead and open the boxes which contain a clue to my announcement," Rossi instructed his teammates.

The three girls quickly tore into the small container's of chocolates, excited for both the surprise and the rich homemade chocolate that was within. Morgan and Hotch opened the boxes more slowly, both sure that Rossi's announcement had something to do about the subject that they had been sworn to secrecy about. Still, both men were curious to know just what the older profiler had cooked up to share the news with his coworkers. Sitting between Garcia and Morgan, Reid continued to pretend to flip through the case file, knowing what Rossi was up to and wishing that he was somewhere other than the conference room. In fact, the young genius found himself contemplating why he hadn't just called out today, having given Rossi the green light to share the news about the baby.

Exclamations about the contents of the box from the women, gourmet chocolates in the shape of a stork carrying a bundle of joy, soon filled the conference room. Rossi, grinned. He had known the stork shaped chocolates would be a hit.

"Well, unless there is some kind of secret affair with one of the current trainee's going on that the water-cooler gossip hasn't got a hold of yet, we know it's not your kid these are celebrating," Prentiss quipped, holding up one of the milk chocolate storks, the bundle of joy it was carrying done in white chocolate.

"Is that supposed to be a crack at my age?" Rossi asked, leveling his gaze at his raven-haired teammate.

"You can take that however you would like to take it," Prentiss said slowly, a sly smile on her face before she bit off the head of the stork she was holding.

"Ahhh. Did you have to bite off its head?" Garcia exclaimed, causing Morgan to grin.

"It's chocolate, Garcia," Prentiss replied in her own defense.

Though smiling on the inside at the banter between his team, Hotch didn't want the meeting to totally deteriorate. Not to mention, he did want to start the briefing for their latest case.

"Perhaps you should make your announcement before this conversation disintegrates any further," Hotch suggested, the BAU Unit Chief casting a pointed glance in his friend's direction.

"Of course," Rossi said. The veteran profiler glanced at Prentiss as he began. "No, my gift of chocolate today does not mean I'm going to be a father. I will however soon be a grandfather," he said, his gaze, along with everyone else's in the room, drifting to Reid.

More feminine exclamations filled the room, Garcia's squeal causing both Reid and Morgan to wince at it's volume and pitch level. As Morgan raised his hand to his ear on the side the tech analyst was sitting, Reid found himself enveloped in a bear hug by the exuberant blonde.

"Congratulations! Oh, I can't believe she didn't tell me!"

Reid didn't even attempt to defend the silence, given that Garcia didn't really sound angry to him. Besides, the congratulations he was receiving from the other two women didn't really give him an opening, as both JJ and Prentiss had gotten up from their seats to hug the young genius.

"Guess you were thinking about 'baby geniuses' after all," Prentiss said as she hugged him from behind. Her voice was at a much more reasonable level than Garcia's had been.

As soon as Prentiss had stepped back from Reid's chaired, JJ swooped in, hugging Reid and placing a kiss on his cheek. "This is great! My son will have a playmate and we get to face the trials of parenthood together. Wait until I tell Will. He's going to be so excited."

"Um . . . Will already knows," Reid admitted to her, not about to let the Cajun face JJ if she found out he knew later on.

"What?" JJ said, surprised by the admission.

"He knew before me, actually," Reid told her. "Amber was sort of freaking out about the prospect while she was in Atlantic City and confided in him."

A myriad of emotions went across the media liaison's face at that admission, finally ending in an expression of joy. "Well, it's still going to be fun raising the two kids together," she said, hugging Reid again.

"Speaking of people already knowing," Prentiss ventured looking at first Morgan and then across the table at Hotch, "you two seem kind of nonchalant about the announcement."

"Reid already told me," Morgan confessed quickly.

Not really surprised by the admission, the three girls looked to Hotch.

"Rossi told me not long after he found out," the unit chief said. "He had to boast to someone."

"I still don't think it's fair. Women are always more excited over babies than the men are and we need time to prepare."

"The baby isn't due until the end of May," Reid commented.

JJ snorted. "You'll see just how fast that time passes, genius," she commented, with a knowing tone to her voice.

Even Hotch found himself smiling at that one, remembering all the last minute scrambling he had done to make sure everything was ready for Jack's arrival. JJ was right. Those impending months would past fast.

"And when's the wedding," Garcia asked.

"After the baby arrives," Reid replied. "I'll give you a definite date as soon as we've got one settled. I can tell you that it is going to be in Las Vegas."

"Sweet," Garcia exclaimed, looking forward to the trip already.

"Are we all going to be able to get the time off?" Prentiss asked, directing the question toward Hotch.

"Leave that detail to me," Hotch told her. "Meanwhile, if we're all done embarrassing Reid may I suggest we get down to business," the unit chief said, giving a nod toward JJ.

The media liaison took her cue and immediately launched into her briefing, as Garcia slipped from the room before she saw something that she didn't want to see.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me," Morgan muttered as he pulled his black SUV into the driveway behind Amber's blue pick-up and next to Rossi's SUV that was behind Reid's beat-up Volvo.

The team was gathering for a Halloween party that Spencer and Amber were hosting. Giving the BAU's resident genius' passion for the holiday, Morgan had expected the inside of the house to be well decorated and perhaps a few on the outside of the house. That wasn't the case though. Sitting behind the wheel of his vehicle, Morgan felt like he had already entered a Halloween party store.

Gravestones had been placed throughout the yard, simulating a cemetery. The walkway was lined with six jack-o-lanterns on either side of the cement walkway. Two life-sized skeletons, both wearing eye-patches and pirate hats, guarded the bottom of the porch steps. A multitude of bats hung from the porch as if frozen in midair as they left on their nightly hunt for food. Off to the side a life-sized witch hunched over her smoking cauldron, her hands steadily stirring her brew with the stick in her hand. A broom had been propped against the house nearby.

"If the outside is this done up, I'm not sure I want to go inside," Morgan added, finally pulling the key out of the ignition.

"I think it's awesome!" Garcia exclaimed from the passenger seat.

"You would," Morgan replied, looking over at his gypsy clad companion, whose outfit was even more colorful than the outfits she put together every day.

"Oh stop being such a grouch," Garcia scolded him, as the two climbed from the vehicle. Both of them moved to the back of the vehicle to get the food that Garcia had volunteered to supply. "You do realize that you're not going to get very far without a costume don't you," the tech analyst told him as the met at the back of the SUV.

"There is no way Pretty Boy is going to get me to wear a costume," Morgan informed her, as he opened the back hatch. Morgan picked-up and handed Garcia the two containers filled with Halloween theme cupcakes before picking up the two bags filled with store-bought drinks.

"He's not the one you have to worry about," Garcia told him knowingly.

"What do you know that I don't, Mama?" Morgan asked, juggling the bags momentarily so that he had a hand free to shut the hatch.

"You'll find out," she told him knowingly as she headed for the house, the bangles on her wrists jangling as she walked.

"Why do I get the feeling I'm going to regret coming tonight?"

The two friends traversed the jack-o-lantern lined walkway and reached the skeleton guards. As he walked past, Morgan realized that one of the pirate skeletons had a skeletal parrot perched on its shoulder. Muttering something inaudible under his breath, the dark-skinned profiler followed Garcia up the steps. Reaching the front door, Morgan again transferred both bags in one hand and pressed the door bell.

"What, no spooky Halloween sound effects with the door tonight," he commented sarcastically.

Garcia didn't get a chance to respond as the front door was opened by a skinny, six-foot tall wolf, causing Morgan to jump in surprise.

"Happy Halloween," the wolf said exuberantly, as Garcia snickered at Morgan's reaction.

"Bah humbug," Morgan muttered as Reid stepped aside to allow them entry into the house.

Stepping inside, Morgan found that the inside of the house was just as decorated as the outside had been. A broom cackled a "Happy Halloween" as it maneuvered its way around the wooden floor, having been set off by Morgan's entrance. Orange and black streamers criss-crossed the room. Hanging from the streamers were black cats, pumpkins, witches on brooms and bat cutouts. A bowl of candy, with a hand ready to grab at anyone who dared to try taking a piece, sat on the coffee table.

"Wrong holiday," Reid replied calmly, "even though stores have already started putting out merchandise for Christmas proving exactly how commercialized the holiday has become."

"If you start rattling off numbers I promise you I will turn you into a mummy," Morgan said in warning, as Reid shut the door behind Garcia.

Though no one could see Reid's facial expression, no further facts or statistics came from the fur clad genius.

"Amber's in the kitchen finishing food preparations," Reid told them, waving a paw in the direction of the aforementioned room.

Morgan led the way to the kitchen. Amber was at the counter sticking orange and black plastic picks into the sandwich pieces she had cut up. Morgan noted with disgust that each pick had a witch, cat or pumpkin-shaped top. As he noticed Amber's costume though, he couldn't help but smile, Reid's wolf making total sense to him.

"Well, hello there, Red," Morgan said smoothly, placing the bags he was carrying down on an empty spot on the counter.

Amber turned at the greeting. "Hi, Morgan," she greeted with a smile. "I see Spencer was right. You didn't wear a costume."

"Halloween isn't my thing."

Amber shook her head at the answer. Wiping her hands on a towel, she crossed over to where a garment bag was hanging from a handle to an overhead cabinet. "Everyone wears a costume tonight," she informed him, plucking the hangar off its makeshift hook and handing the item to Morgan.

"What's this?"

"Your costume."

Morgan opened his mouth to protest but before he could get any sound out another voice spoke up.

"I wouldn't bother fighting it, as this is one hostess that will get her way," Rossi informed him as he walked into the kitchen. The elder man was dressed in black pants, a black suit jacket with tails, and with a white shirt with frills along the buttons. A black cape fluttered softly behind him as he walked, a white-tipped wand and top hat completing the look.

"I thought Reid was the magician of the family?" Morgan asked, a broad grin coming to his face at the sight of the veteran profiler.

"Me too. However, certain people had other ideas," Rossi said, glancing over at his daughter.

"You said you didn't have a costume and that costume fits well for my scavenger hunt that I planned for Jack," Amber replied. "Besides Dad, you look dashing in that costume."

"Always were the flatterer, weren't you, Rosa Mia."

Amber smiled at him as Morgan unzipped the garment bag he was holding.

"Rossi want to change costumes?" Morgan asked as soon as he saw what the bag contained. The occupants of the kitchen heard the doorbell ring in the background.

"As I've already seen that costume, not a chance. Besides, though there was a time I could have pulled that look off, I don't think the women here will appreciate seeing my biceps and legs tonight as much as they will seeing yours," Rossi informed him, walking over to the counter and leaning against it. His smile told everyone in the room that he was enjoying the current situation.

"Do you even know any magic tricks?" Morgan challenged him.

"Despite my soon to be son-in-law's attempts to teach me more, only one," Rossi replied calmly, reaching up to remove the black top hat from his head. Deftly twirling it in his hands so that it was open side up, Rossi held the hat in one hand and reached into it. "I can pull candy out of my hat," he finished, pulling out a Kit Kat bar and holding it up with a flourish.

"Seriously? You call that magic."

"When the magician is in this outfit under coercion, yes," Rossi said, tossing the Kit Kat bar to Morgan. "Do you need any help, Sweetie?" Rossi asked, looking in his daughter's direction.

"Can you take the veggie tray out for me? It'll give people something to munch on when they arrive," Amber told him. As Rossi moved to do his daughter's bidden, Amber glanced at Morgan. "And you Agent Morgan, go get dressed," she said, waving her hands in the direction of the staircase. When the dark-skinned profiler didn't budge, she added, "or do I need to help you."

"Somehow, I don't think Reid would appreciate that," Morgan teased, flashing her one of his thousand-watt smiles.

"Don't flatter yourself," Amber retorted, returning to her sandwiches. Behind her, she heard one final huff from Morgan as his footsteps headed for the stairs.

Jack giggled as Reid pulled a lollipop out from behind his ear with his furry paw. Though he had removed the mask by now, Reid was still wearing his the rest of the wolf costume.

"Thank-you," Jack said politely, taking the lollipop from Reid. The little boy, dressed in a Robing costume to pair with his father's Batman costume, turned to Rossi. "How come the wolf knows more tricks than you?" the little boy asked.

There was a soft murmur of laughter from around the room at the question.

"Because the Big Bad Wolf stole my magical powers and won't give them back," Rossi told the little boy without missing a beat.

"It's not nice to take things," Jack said seriously, turning back to Spencer.

"You're right. How about if I give the magician back his powers? Would that be okay?" Spencer asked, keeping Jack's attention as Amber removed the top hat from her father's head and slipped another piece of candy into the pocket that had been sewn into the lining.

Jack nodded enthusiastically. Saying a sting of nonsense words as Amber replaced the top hat, Reid pointed at Rossi.

"Do you have your powers back?" Jack asked, expectantly.

"Let's see," Rossi said, removing his hat. "Would you like another piece of candy?"

"The kid is going to be hyped up on sugar for the next month," Hotch muttered even as his son nodded enthusiastically.

"What's the magic words tonight?"

"Trick-or-Treat," Jack answered promptly.

Reaching into the hat, Rossi produced the peanut butter cup that Amber had tucked into the house. Jack clapped his hands in delight just as he had done the first time Rossi had done the trick during the scavenger hunt. The veteran profiler turned the piece of candy over to the excited child.

"And now, I do believe that our host and hostess have a special announcement that they would like to make," Wendy said as she entered from the kitchen carrying a tray of wine glasses. Instead of the traditional shape though, perched on each glass stem was a dark, glass cauldron.

The glasses were passed out among the gathered guests, Jack, Amber and JJ having glasses filled apple cider instead of wine. While this process was going on, Spencer and Amber held a silent conversation, deciding who would make the announcement. Finally, when all eyes were on the couple, Little Red Riding Hood standing next to the Big Bad Wolf, it was Amber who spoked up.

"As we've got you all gathered here tonight, Spencer and I thought it would be a good time to announce that we've finally decided on the wedding date. As we've said before, we're going to have it in Vegas, as that will be the least disruptive for Reid's mom. The wedding will be on June 26th, so please save the date as we want you all there to share our special day."

There was a chorus of congratulations, and other comments along the line of about time, along with the clicking of glasses. When things had died down a little, Rossi spoke up. "And for those of you in the bureau, don't worry I will use my connections to make sure that we all, and anyone who you might like to bring along as a guest," he added, looking at Garcia and Kevin as he said those words, "have uninterrupted vacation time during that time period,' he assured his teammates.

"We can have one heck of a bachelor's party in Vegas," Morgan announced, a devilish grin on his face that grew as Reid's face paled.

"Just don't get the kid arrested right before his wedding," Hotch cautioned.

"Yeah, the father of the bride will not be happy if your antics ruin the occasion," Rossi added.

"Nor will the bride," Amber added.

"And somehow that last threat worries me the most," Morgan said, getting laughter from the adults gathered.

"What's so funny?" Jack asked, looking up at his father.

"I'll explain it later," Hotch told him, hoping the little boy would forget all about it and he wouldn't have to even try.


	22. Troubled Mind

_AN: For all of those who have been waiting for an update, here is chapter 22. It takes place during the time frame of the episode "The Instincts" and the next chapter(s) will be based around the episode "Memoriam" for those who are interested in a time frame for the story. Hope you enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Amber breathed in the wonderful aromas that were filling her kitchen. Though there was still enjoyment in them, they didn't bring the relaxation that they normally did. She had learned most of her cooking skills from her father while she was growing up. Those were some of her happiest memories of her childhood, and so cooking had always been something that made her happy. Today though her nerves were taking some of the fun out of it. She had made both pancetta and risotto plenty of times, but never had she wanted them to come out perfect like she did tonight.<p>

The reason for her nervousness was sitting at her kitchen table while she cooked. Isabella Rose Rossi had made the trip down from Commack to visit her son and granddaughter. It wasn't the first time she had made the trip but the Rossi family matriarch usually stayed with her son at his mansion. The fact that Dave and the team had been called out west on a case had changed those plans though and was why Amber found herself not only playing hostess to her grandmother but also cooking for her for the first time.

"Now he definitely has some fine legs," Isabella commented from her place at the table, a stack of photographs in her hands.

Getting over her surprise at the comment, Amber turned from the stove to glance at the photo in her grandmother's hand. Just as she thought it was a photo of Morgan in the Tarzan costume she had made him wear at the Halloween party two weeks ago.

"I know quite a few women who would agree with you on that assessment, Grandma," Amber replied turning back to the food on the stove.

"And you wouldn't?" Isabella said, taking one last look at the photograph before flipping to the next one. She glanced in her granddaughter's direction.

"I choose to plead the fifth," Amber replied, so not wanting to have that conversation with her mother.

"There is nothing wrong with looking, sweetie. We all do it from time to time. It's human nature," Isabella said, returning to perusing the photographs.

Amber remained quiet. While she definitely didn't disagree with her grandmother's comments, she didn't want to entertain the direction the conversation was currently going in.

"So, your father really is back together with Wendy," Isabella said a few minutes later, having paused on a photo of the two of them. "Are they serious?"

Amber thought about it. Though she hadn't seen any overt public displays of affection between her father and former stepmother, the two had been spending a lot of time together. In addition, there was Wendy's admission that the two of them were going to try to make a relationship work again.

"Well, they've been spending a lot of time together and they both seem happy."

"And how do you feel about it?"

"If they're both happy then I'm happy for them," Amber replied without hesitation as she moved the risotto off the burner. "Wendy has always been there for me, even after she and dad split." Amber paused. Though she had told her grandmother that there were other guests coming for dinner she hadn't mentioned exactly who those guests were. "She's actually joining us for dinner. I hope you don't mind."

"Of course not. I always did like Wendy. I thought my son had finally come to his senses when he married her. I thought it was a shame that it didn't work out for them."

Amber felt a wave of relief flood through her. She had invited Wendy, JJ and Will to have dinner with Spencer, her father and herself over a week ago. When the three FBI agents had gotten called out of town, Wendy, Will and herself had decided to go along with dinner as planned. Her grandmother's surprise visit hadn't changed those plans though Amber had considered cancelling with the others numerous times throughout the day. Dinner was going to be an interesting mix to say the least, but Amber hoped it would go smoothly. The fact that her grandmother didn't seem to have any hard feelings against her former daughter-in-law made her feel a little bit hopeful on that count.

"Just like I hope all the best for you and Spencer," Isabella said, putting the pile of photographs down on the table and looking toward her granddaughter. "Though I still have my doubts concerning your marriage. It isn't going to be easy, especially with Spencer being a nonbeliever. You know the church doesn't approve of a union between a believer and a nonbeliever."

"I know that, Grandma," Amber said, bracing herself for another long lecture. Religion was one subject that she always tried to avoid discussing with her devout Catholic grandmother. Though she respected her grandmother, this was the one subject that she had never seen eye-to-eye on with the older woman. Though raised in the Catholic Church Amber had questioned some of the beliefs of the church since a young age. Sitting in on the conversations that Spencer and Father Jimmy had engaged in since her fiancé had begun attending services with her had only strengthened that questioning behavior. It wasn't that she doubted the existence in God, just that perhaps things weren't as clear cut as she had been taught.

"Spencer has actually been attending church with me lately and talking to Father Jimmy about things," Amber told Isabella, not turning from the stove. What she didn't tell her grandmother was that she hadn't been going to Father Jimmy's church quite as often anymore as she and Spence had been trying out other denominational churches, looking for one they could both be comfortable at.

"Well it's a start at least. I still say that's what was wrong with your father's first two marriages - they weren't believers. And then of course there is your Aunt Vicky. Look how long it took her to wake up and realize that the type of relationship she was in wasn't healthy."

Amber bit back the sigh that she wanted to let out. When it came to religion, her grandmother had very set opinions and she didn't mind letting people know what they were - even if those people had heard them multiple times before.

Politely listening to her grandmother, making appropriate remarks where necessary, Amber continued cooking. She was just finishing when the doorbell rang.

"I'll be right back," Amber told her grandmother, wiping her hands on her apron as she headed for the front door. A few moments later Amber was pulling the steel door open to reveal Wendy standing on the front porch. "Hello, Wendy," the younger woman greeted, stepping forward to embrace her former stepmother.

"Hello, Sweetie. It's good to see you," Wendy said, returning the hug.

After letting go, Amber took a step back and motioned for the older woman to enter the house.

"Dinner smells wonderful," Wendy commented, before breathing the aroma wafting from the kitchen more deeply.

"Glad you think so," Amber replied, getting ready to shut the front door behind her first guest when she noticed Will's SUV pulling into the driveway.

Wendy also noticed the other vehicle. "Where's Isabella?" she asked her former stepdaughter. "I'll just go say hello."

"She's in the kitchen, looking through the pictures from the Halloween party," Amber replied.

"Oh, I wanted to see how those turned out. Your father looked so dashing in the magician's costume," Wendy said as she started for the kitchen.

Amber smiled at the comment. She was really hoping that the rekindled romance between her father and Wendy continued to flourish as both of them deserved something good in their lives.

Turning back to the front door, Amber stepped out on the front porch, the brisk autumn wind cutting through the cotton of her long sleeve shirt. Still, when compared to the cold of Kodiak, this type of weather was pleasant. By this time Will had parked the SUV and was climbing from the vehicle.

"Should you be out without a coat?" Will called out to her, spotting Amber on the front porch as he moved to the back door of his vehicle.

"Don't start with me, LaMontagne," Amber called back, the warning softened with a trace of humor.

"Yes, ma'am," came the reply as Will pulled a covered container from the car. "I did remember dessert," he drawled, pushing the SUV door closed. "One Mississippi Mud Pie made from my grandmother's recipe."

Amber's mouth started watering at the mention of the pie. Never having been one to turn down dessert, Amber had found that she had even more of a sweet tooth the last couple of weeks. "I may just skip dinner and dig into that pie."

"Now, now, you need to eat right for that baby of yours so no dessert until you've eaten a proper dinner, Mon Amie."

"You're lucky my grandmother is here or you would have a fight on your hands," Amber told him as Will joined her on the front porch.

The Cajun gave Amber a one-armed hug, holding the pie out of the way so that it wouldn't get dropped.

"I'm looking forward to meeting your grandmother," Will said, releasing her.

"Yeah, well hang onto that thought," Amber told him. "I've been listening to her talk about how relationships won't work if both partners aren't believers. If I were you, I'd stay quiet about you and JJ not being married if you don't want a lecture about that. Believe, I heard that lecture when I called and told her about the being pregnant. Not that it didn't stop her from bringing a crocheted blanket for her great-grandchild."

Will smiled. "Been through that with my own mother," he admitted. "I can handle it if she gets started on me," he told her, as Amber opened the front door and led them into the house.

Will followed his hostess into the kitchen where Wendy and Isabella were seated at the table, the former flipping through the pictures that Isabella had been looking at earlier. Amber introduced Will to her grandmother and then gathered the plates and silverware to set the dinning room table.

* * *

><p>Off to the west the sun was quickly sinking below the horizon. Though he asked Hotch for the extra night in Vegas with the intention to spend some time with his mother, he hadn't yet made it to Bennington yet. His intent had been to grab a sandwich at one of his favorite deli's from when he lived in the city and then head to the sanitarium. He had gotten the sandwich, eating it in the car, but he was still sitting in the car in the parking lot his mind occupied with his racing thoughts. They had solved the case, and returned Michael to his parents, but Reid was still haunted by the dreams and images that had started haunting him since this case started. Or were they memories? He wasn't sure anymore.<p>

On the seat next to him was a copy of the file for the Riley Jenkins case. He had been so sure that Riley was an imaginary friend and now since Morgan had brought this case to his attention he wasn't sure anymore. Even his mother had said Riley was an imaginary friend but then his mother wasn't always the most reliable person due to her illness. Still he couldn't shake the things she had said about feeling that he was in danger when he was little. Had the same person who killed Riley shown an interest in him? Was what he thought he remembered just an overactive imagination like Morgan and his mother has suggested?

Part of him said that it would be best just to let things go. Let whatever happened in the past stay in the past. However, what if Riley was real and had been killed? What if Riley was the boy he was seeing dead behind the dryer in his dreams? If there was a killer out there then didn't he owe it to Riley's memory to find his killer if he could?

There were just to many questions and unknowns for even Spencer's mind to put the pieces together.

Glancing down at his watch he saw that it was just past six o'clock, which made it ten at night back home. He knew that Amber would be waiting to hear from him, even if it was just a quick text message as he had done last night. Digging out his cell phone, he placed the call. As he listened to the ringing phone, he found he was anxious to hear his fiance's familiar, soothing voice.

"Hey, I was starting to think you had forgotten all about me," Amber said lightly as soon as she answered the phone.

"That could never happen even if I didn't have an eidetic memory," Spencer replied, already feeling a sense of calmness washing over his troubled thoughts.

"How's the case going?"

"It's solved actually. We found Michael alive and the UnSub is behind bars."

"Glad to hear that," Amber said, relieved that the boy had been safely returned to his parents. "So, when do I get you home?"

"We're not coming leaving until tomorrow morning. I asked Hotch for a delay in returning so I can spend some time with my mother while I'm out here. I'm hoping to get permission to stay with her tonight, though I haven't spoken to her doctor yet."

"I'm sure she'll appreciate your visit, though I'll miss you. Though Grandma is going to be sorry that she missed you and Dad. She's heading back to Commack tomorrow afternoon."

"I forgot she had even come down. Perhaps I shouldn't have requested the extra night here," Spencer said, feeling guilty at his oversight.

"Nonsense. We see my grandmother a whole lot more than you see your mother. Besides, I invited her down for Thanksgiving, so unless another case takes you and Dad out of town again, you'll see her in a few weeks. Also, she wants us to come up to Commack in March. My Dad's side of the family wants to throw us a pre-wedding celebration in lieu of flying out to Vegas for the actual wedding. Though Grandma plans on coming out for the wedding the rest of them don't really want to make the trip which works out really as I wanted to keep the guest list small. I told her I had to run things by you first before I could give her a definite answer."

"It's fine," Spencer replied. "I'm sure it won't be a problem to get a three-day weekend in March."

"She'll be happy to hear that as will my Aunts who apparently are already making plans. I'll let her know tomorrow that we'll be able to make it."

The conversation continued as Amber told Spencer more about her grandmother's visit, with the dinner with Will and Wendy the night before getting a lot of attention. It didn't take long for Amber to realize how one-sided the conversation really was. As she finished telling Spencer about showing her grandmother around the FBI headquarters in D.C. today, she decided a change in topic was necessary.

"Is everything okay, Stechinno?" Amber asked, her voice softening as she spoke the question.

"Yeah, it's just been a difficult case," Reid told her in an attempt to avoid the subject. He could sense that Amber wasn't convinced though. She knew him to well for that. He let out a soft sigh before continuing. "And it might have stirred up some old memories or something," he added.

Reid spent the next twenty minutes telling her about falling asleep on the plane, the nightmares that he had experienced, his conversation with Morgan and the conversation with his mother.

"Perhaps Morgan was right. Maybe I did read about the case and my mind is trying to mix it in with personal experiences."

"Maybe. Perhaps you're anxieties over the coming baby is adding to things as well," Amber supplied softly, wishing that he wasn't a couple of thousand miles away so that she could wrap her arms around him and hold him close."This is the first missing child case you've worked since I told you I was pregnant."

"It could be that," Spencer conceded, knowing that what Amber said made sense on some level.

"But?" Amber prompted, sensing that there was something more on her fiance's mind.

"I just can't shake the feeling that there is a real mystery in there to solve but that's it's mixed up with details that aren't accurate."

"Perhaps Morgan never should have given you that case file," Amber muttered.

"He was just trying to help. I did wake him up with one of my nightmares," Spencer admitted. "He definitely had reason to be concerned." He paused for a moment. "I should probably just let the subject go," he finally conceded.

"Will you be able too?" Amber asked, her voice laced with genuine concern.

"It's probably just our last case that got things stirred up. The case came to a successful conclusion, and I'll be heading home in the morning. Things will be fine once I get home to you," he told her with more confidence than he really felt. Whatever his issues were, he didn't see them magically disappearing because they had found Michael.

"If you need to talk again, call me. Don't worry about the time difference. I have no problem losing a little sleep for you, caro mio," Amber told him.

Amber's instructions told Spencer that he hadn't been very convincing. "I will," he promised. "I should probably head over to Bennington before it gets too late tonight. I'll see you tomorrow night."

"Okay. I love you," Amber told him.

"Love you too," Spencer replied, the words coming out naturally.

Ending the call, he placed the cell phone in the cup holder and started the car. He'd go to Bennington and spend some time with his mother and try to clear his head. However, Spencer could refrain from taking a quick glance at the folder lying on the passenger seat before he started to back out of the parking space. He had a feeling he would be going through the file again before falling asleep.

* * *

><p>Amber was in the middle of a peaceful dream about walking on the beach hand in hand with Spencer when the ring of her cell phone interrupted the serene vision. And here she had thought she had left the early morning calls behind when she had left the Coast Guard.<p>

"Hello," Amber mumbled into the phone after blindly answering it.

"I'm sorry. I know it's early but I needed to talk to someone."

At the sound of Spencer's voice Amber was instantly awake. "What's wrong?" she asked, sitting up in her bed and reaching for the lamp. As she did so, she glanced at the glowing numbers of the alarm clock. The clock read six twenty-five which meant that it was just after two in Las Vegas.

"I had another dream. It was a lot like the other ones except that this time the UnSub was in the basement too."

"Did he have a face?"

"When he turned around," Spencer began, pausing before he finished the sentence. "The UnSub turned around and it was my father. Amber, what if the dreams really are memories that are trying to come to the surface? What if my father had something to do with the death of Riley Jenkins?" he asked, panic starting to creep into his voice.

"Spencer just take a few moments and try to calm down. You just woke up from a bad dream. Reality and imagination are always a little hard to differentiate between right when you wake up," Amber said calmly, once again wishing she wasn't talking to him over the phone. She wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around him and pull him close.

"I haven't dreamed about my father since right after he walked out on us, and even then it was only ever about him leaving us. I don't even have any idea where he is."

"Then perhaps it is just your subconscious playing tricks on you. You're stressed out and all your anxieties are getting mixed together," Amber tried to reason.

"And if it's not. What if they are memories and my father had something to do with the death of Riley Jenkins. If I know something about a murder, shouldn't I tell someone."

"You don't know if you know anything or not."

"I can't shake the feeling that I do though, it's just that I don't have all the pieces."

Amber sighed. She knew what Spencer was like when he thought there was a problem that needed solving - he would ponder it until it got solved. She knew even if he came home right now, he would keep going back to Riley Jenkins.

"Then perhaps you need to stay out there and devote some time to the issue. Try to find the answers you're looking for."

"I thought you were looking forward to having me home."

"I am, but I also don't want you regretting that you didn't take the time to look into the issue more. I'll be okay without you for a few more days or I could fly out there to be with you."

"That won't be necessary," Spencer told her. There was a brief silence and Amber knew that Spencer was pondering his decision. "I think I will stay out here a couple more days and check the rest of the files for the Riley Jenkins case. Maybe something will click."

"Okay. You take care of yourself then. For now though, why don't you get a few more hours of sleep. You'll be able to think clearer well rested."

"You're right. I'm sorry about waking you up."

"You never have to apologize for that, Stechinno. I always have time for you. Love you."

Spencer repeated the last two words that they ended most phone calls with these days and then ended the call. Placing the phone on the night stand, Amber turned off the lamp and laid back down. Though she doubted sleep would come again before her alarm clock went off, she had no intention of climbing from her bed this early on a Sunday morning.


	23. Modifying The Truth

_AN: So, short chapter for me, but it seemed like a good spot to stop. Hope you all enjoy!_

* * *

><p>Sitting in the passenger seat next to Morgan, SSA David Rossi stared at the passing scenery as Morgan followed the SUV carrying JJ and Prentiss to the airport. The senior agent kept replaying the scene with Reid in the hotel lobby in his head. Though he couldn't put his finger on it, Rossi knew something was off with the young genius. It had been the whole case, starting with Reid falling asleep on the jet. The veteran profiler also didn't buy the whole wanting to stay in Vegas to visit his mom line either. Reid was up to something else but he didn't know what.<p>

Rossi had an idea of whom on the team might though. However, he knew a direction line of questioning would only get him a mind your own business reply.

"Something isn't sitting right with me," Rossi commented casually out loud, his gaze still focused on the passing landscape beyond the pane of glass.

"About what?" Morgan asked, keeping his gaze focused on the road in front of him.

"This whole situation with Reid. He hasn't quite been himself the last couple of days, and I get the feeling he isn't really hanging back for a social visit," Rossi said. He turned his head in Morgan's direction. "You've spent a lot of time with him during this last case. He okay?"

"Maybe you should ask Reid that question himself," Morgan replied, the tone in his voice revealing his nervousness to his teammate.

"Somehow I don't think I would get a straight answer. Sort of like how I'm not getting one from you right now."

Morgan let out a long sign. Rossi could tell the other agent was debating on whether or not to reveal what he knew. The veteran agent decided that maybe a bit more prompting was in order.

"Come on, Morgan, Reid is practically my son-in-law already. If he's in trouble, don't you think I should know," Rossi said, trying to conjure up a little guilt in his teammate.

"We discovered that there was a case back when Reid was a kid that had details that are showing up as elements in his dream. The victim's name also coincides with the name of what Reid recalled as an imaginary friend from when he was little."

"So the dreams could be repressed memories coming to the surface?"

Morgan shrugged, though he kept his eyes on the road. "It's possible. Or the kid could have read or heard about the case back then and things are getting mixed up now. My guess is that he's staying in Vegas to look into it more."

"And you really think that's something he should do alone?" Rossi asked, surprised that with the suspicions that he had Morgan wasn't trying to stay in Vegas with Reid.

"Not really, but what can I do. Reid hasn't asked for my help and with the excuse he gave, it's clear to me he doesn't want others knowing what is going on."

"That didn't stop you guys from flying out to Indiana to help me," Rossi reminded him.

"That was a whole different situation," Morgan countered. "It wasn't like we had to ask your superior for permission to give you a hand and I'm not about to go to Hotch about something that Reid expects me to keep confidential."

"Yet you're telling me."

"Like you said, the two of you are practically family," Morgan said. "Besides, I'm worried about him. This whole thing is really getting to him and he shouldn't have to try dealing with it alone."

"So you're up to staying in Vegas for a few more days."

"Hell, yeah," Morgan replied.

Rossi gave a quick determined nod as he reached for his cell phone. Pulling the device out of his pocket, he quickly found Hotch's number in his list of contacts.

"Hotchner," came the unit chief's terse reply.

Having already informed Hotch that Reid had requested a few days to visit with his mother and that he had granted it, Rossi didn't waste time with pleasantries. "Aaron, I think Morgan and I are going to hang back here in Vegas with Reid," Rossi said casually, as if it was no big deal. Though he knew that ultimately his friend could order him and Morgan to return to Quantico with the rest of them, he knew Hotch well enough to know he wouldn't do that.

"Is something going on that I need to know about?" Hotch asked, his business like tone softening with a trace of concern.

"We think Reid's looking into an old case that happened when he was a kid. I'd like to hang back and lend a hand as well as offer moral support. Morgan can help on both counts."

There was a slight pause before Hotch spoke again. "Okay. Keep me informed about what is going on. If you guys are going to be looking into an old case, I need to know."

"Understood," Rossi told him, having intended to keep the Unit Chief in the loop all along. "I'll give you a call as soon as we've talked to Reid and let you know what's going on. Have a safe flight."

"Thanks. All three of you be careful," Hotch replied. Rossi didn't miss the worry in the younger man's voice.

"We will," Rossi assured him, before ending the call. As he slipped the device back into his pocket, he glanced over at Morgan. "Go ahead and make an U-turn at your earliest convenience. We're staying to help whether Reid wants up to or not."

Morgan nodded acknowledgment of the statement, his shoulders relaxing with the relief he felt. Leaving his friend behind under these circumstances hadn't been sitting well with him. "Shouldn't you call Reid and let him know we're staying?" Morgan asked, as he maneuvered the SUV through the traffic in order to head back to the hotel.

Rossi gave a little snort before answering. "Not a chance. If he knows we're staying, he'll do his best to avoid us. It's better if we just surprise him," Rossi replied.

"And just how do you propose we do that. It's not like he's actually going to be at Bennington visiting his mom like he told you," Morgan said, stopping at a red light in the left-hand turn lane.

"I do realize that," Rossi replied, not sounding at all concerned by the issue. "However, we do know that eventually he will return to his hotel room, so instead of running around Vegas trying to find him, we sit and wait."

"So we hang out in the hallway in front of the kid's room until he makes his way back to his hotel room. That could take hours."

"We don't wait in the hallway, we wait in the room," Rossi replied easily.

"In the room?" Morgan questioned as the light turned green. "You're suggesting we break into his room and wait for him. Maybe Prentiss wasn't the only one who had too much to drink last night."

"No breaking in will be necessary. I plan on talking my way into the room."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?"

"Just watch and learn my young apprentice," Rossi replied, a small smirk coming to his face.

A half hour later Rossi stepped up to the main desk in the hotel lobby after they had checked to make sure Reid wasn't in his room. Not far away, Morgan leaned against a column, arms folded across his chest, intently watching his co-worker.

"May I help you, sir?" the hotel employee behind the desk asked politely.

"I sure hope so," Rossi said, taking out his credentials and showing them to the man. "See a co-worker of mine ran off with my eighteen-year-old daughter. According to the note she left, they're planning on getting married and not only is she too young to be making that decision but I don't think he's right for her. I want to stop them. I've been able to track my co-worker to your hotel and I was hoping you would be so kind as to let me into his room so I can wait for him. I'm sure my daughter's with him."

"I wish I could help you sir, but I'm not sure that I can."

"Then I guess I'll just have to wait in the lobby. I sure hope our confrontation won't be too disruptive for your other guests," Rossi said casually as he tucked his credentials back into the inside pocket of his suit jacket and began to turn away.

"Ah, wait a moment, sir," the man said, sounding a bit panicked. His eyes darted around the lobby. Rossi had a feeling he was thinking about the spectacle an argument between two FBI agents over one running away and wanting to marry the other's daughter. It wasn't exactly the image that the hotel probably wanted to portray. "You are a federal agent so I guess making an exception might be possible. Your co-worker's name sir?"

"Agent Spencer Reid," Rossi replied casually, resting his arms on the desk as the hotel employee typed the information into the computer.

"Ah yes, here it is. Just let me call a bellhop to escort you to the room. He'll let you in but that's the best I can do."

"Thank-you for your help," Rossi told the employee.

Moments later, Rossi and Morgan were following a bellhop across the lobby to the elevators.

"Ran off with your daughter?" Morgan whispered incredulously.

"At least I said she was eighteen," Rossi replied, with a lopsided smile.

Morgan chuckled. Somehow though he didn't think Reid was going to find the situation quite so amusing though. Though he had to admit Rossi's story had worked and it wasn't too much of a stretch. Still smiling, he stepped onto the elevator behind his older co-worker. He had to give the old man credit for style. It was a storyline he would have never thought of using to gain access to a co-worker's room.

Reaching the floor, the bellhop lead the way out of the elevator and down the hallway to the room Reid was staying in. The bellhop rapped loudly twice on the door before swiping his key card in the slot.

"There you go, sirs," the man replied, pushing the door open and stepping aside to allow the two FBI agents entry to the room.

"Thank-you," Rossi said, walking past the employee and into Reid's hotel room, which at first glance didn't even look to be occupied. Apparently Reid was as much of a neat freak away from home as he was at home or around the office.

Morgan followed Rossi inside as the bellhop took his leave. "So what do we do now?" Morgan asked, leaning against the counter of the little kitchenette.

"Now we wait," Rossi replied, looking around the room. "Who's making the run for snacks?"

Morgan chuckled. "Tell, you what, I'll flip you for the honors," the dark-skinned profiler said, reaching into this pocket for a coin. Apparently, Rossi intended to make himself comfortable while he waited, and while Morgan had no complaints against that he really didn't want to make the run to the store.

Letting Rossi call it, Morgan flipped the coin. To his delight, the older profiler loss the toss.

"Have fun," Morgan told him, holding out the keys to the SUV to Rossi before heading toward the chairs placed in front of the TV. "I'll be right here waiting for you," he added, sitting down in the chair closest to the window.

"Yeah, I'm sure you will," Rossi muttered, turning to leave the hotel room again. He wasn't thrilled to be the one running errand but he had lost fair and square. To avoid arousing suspicion from the hotel employee that let him in, the veteran profiler slipped out a side entrance. After all, he _was_ supposed to be waiting for the guy who had ran off with his daughter.


	24. Looking For Answers

_AN: If all goes as planned this will be the next to the last chapter in this journey. The next chapter will pick up with the completion of the case and include a tag to the hospital scene at the end of Memoriam. Hope you all enjoy._

* * *

><p>Rossi wasn't sure that he liked this idea. Granted hypnotherapy wasn't anything like people who claimed to be psychic, which he had no use for, but he still had doubts about its credibility. Still had doubts about the practice implanting suggestions, even if that process was done unintentionally. However, Reid seemed determined to go through with it and he doubted whether either he or Morgan would be able to persuade him otherwise. Not that they had been able to persuade Reid much of anything in this case, Rossi mused as he scanned the building numbers on his side of the road. He and Morgan had definitely been mostly along for the ride since this whole thing started.<p>

~_But at least we're here to keep an eye on him and he isn't going through this alone_,~ Rossi thought, glancing quickly over at the young genius sitting in the passenger seat. He could see how much this was affecting the younger agent and Rossi couldn't help but wish there was more he could do. The only possible outcome he could see in this endeavor was Reid getting hurt in someway.

Rossi sighed as he glanced back at the buildings on his left. His soon to be son-in-law was determined to figure out the puzzle that his childhood memories had presented him so Rossi knew he was going to help him do just that. The veteran profiler couldn't help but wonder if Reid's own looming outcome of becoming a father himself had anything to do with the tenacious look for answers. It made sense that Reid would be worried about turning out like his own father, though personally Rossi couldn't ever see Reid walking out voluntarily on his family like the elder Reid had done.

Spotting the building that Dr. Eileen Hersh's office was located in, Rossi maneuvered through the Vegas traffic and pulled into the building's parking lot. As he expected, the lot was packed, and Rossi was starting to wonder if he would ever find a empty spot when he finally saw a car backing out. Waiting for the car to back out, he quickly swung the SUV into the vacated slot before someone else could do so.

"You ready to do this?" Rossi asked, looking over at Reid as he pulled the key out of the ignition.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Reid replied, opening the passenger side door and climbing out.

Rossi followed suit. As he stepped into the Vegas heat he opened his mouth to remind Reid that they didn't have to go through with this but shut it again without saying anything. The veteran profiler knew what the answer to that suggestion was going to be and knew the only thing it would serve would be to agitate Reid further. As he had told Morgan before they had left the other profiler at the hotel, it was best if they just let the genius run with this idea and be there to support him afterwards. After all, Rossi couldn't see what harm could come from giving this a try and if it didn't work they would be no worse off than they were now. On the flip side, if the process did help Reid recall something else than perhaps they would have something more to work with.

Silently Rossi followed Reid into the building. After a quick glance at the directory, the two continued their silent trek to the Dr. Hersh's office. When they finally did reach the office, Reid paused for a moment outside the door, staring at the name plate there. Standing behind him Rossi reached out and placed a hand on the younger profiler's shoulder, giving it a slight squeeze, the gesture conveying the message that Rossi didn't voice in words - they didn't have to go through with this.

"I need to know," Reid replied quietly, addressing the unspoken comment between the two of them. Reaching out he turned the knob and walked into the office.

* * *

><p>"Thank-you again for your help, Dr. Hersch," Rossi told the hypnotist, reaching out to shake her hand one more time as he stood up from the chair he had been occupying.<p>

On the couch, Reid swung his legs over the side and sat up slowly, still feeling shay from the whole experience. The memories, which he had managed to relay to both the doctor and Rossi, still lingered. Of all the scenarios he had thought possible, seeing his father actually burning bloody clothes was the last thing that he had expected to recall. The image still had him unsettled.

"You're welcome, Agent Rossi," Dr. Hersch replied, shaking the proffered hand. Her gaze changed worriedly from Rossi to Reid as the younger agent slowly got to his feet. "Though perhaps it might be best if you stay a little longer. Give Spencer more time to rest," she suggested, Reid's first name slipping out easily after the session.

Rossi looked over at the younger man. Reid did look unsteady on his feet, and the veteran profiler was about to agree to the suggestion when Reid spoke up.

"I'm fine, but thank-you. We really need to get going," Reid replied, his voice shaky as well. It was clear to both Rossi and the doctor that the hypnosis session and following discussion about what he had seen while in a trance had taken a toll on him.

Deciding not to argue the point, Rossi instead reached out to get a supportive hold on Reid's arm. Nodding to Dr. Hersch, the veteran profiler addressed her, "Have a good day."

To Rossi's surprise Reid didn't try to shrug off the help, instead allowing Rossi to guide him out of the office and down the corridor to the elevator. The two didn't speak until they were alone in the elavator.

"I think we need to go talk to my father now," Reid said, now leaning on the hand railing of the elevator.

"Now let's not go getting ahead of ourselves," Rossi said, not wanting to rush into anything. They were treading on thin water to begin with on this case, as the locals clearly weren't happy about them looking into it, and the last thing Rossi wanted to do was make a move without considering the consequences.

"I saw him burning bloody clothes, Rossi."

"Correction, you think you remember him burning bloody clothes. Maybe it was something else on the clothes? Maybe the blood was from an animal or an injury? Or maybe the memory is completely accurate? We can't go rushing into things Reid," Rossi said calmly, hoping that for once during this situation Reid would concede something for him. "Let's get Morgan up to date on how the hypnotherapy session went and discuss where to go from here," he suggested, his main concern being getting Reid back to the hotel and hopefully convincing the younger man to rest for awhile. The trip down memory lane had taken its toll on the young genius whether Reid wanted to admit it or not. "I doubt that a few more hours is going to change the outcome of what we find as old as this case is, Spencer," he tried to reason, hoping that the use of the younger man's first name might hold a little bit of sway.

Rossi watched his younger teammate closely after he finished speaking. Given the thoughtful expression on his face, Reid seemed to be considering his words, for which the veteran profiler was thankful. The older man knew his younger colleague was searching desperately for answers and Rossi prayed that they would be able to find him those. Whatever the outcome, Rossi felt that Reid knowing the truth would be easier for him to deal with than the unknown.

Reid finally looked at Rossi after a few moments. "Can we at least stop by Bennington before we head back to the hotel? I'd like to talk to my mother again," the young genius stated as the elevator reached the bottom floor with a ding.

Rossi sighed. "Okay," he agreed hoping that he wasn't making a mistake. Given Diana Reid's condition, he wasn't sure how credible a source of information the woman was, not that he was about to even allude to that in front of Reid.

As the doors parted, Reid pushed himself away from the side of the elevator and began to walk forward. Rossi followed suit, falling silently in step with the young genius. Though he didn't offer support, the older man wanted to be close in case his help was needed.

Side by side, the two FBI agents exited the building and headed toward their vehicle. They had one more puzzle piece, though Rossi was beginning to wonder if all the pieces fit together.

* * *

><p>After hearing what had transpired during the afternoon hours, Derek Morgan was even more worried about his friend. He was starting to regret ever having dug up the file on Riley Jenkins. If he hadn't, then Reid wouldn't be looking into this case and with any luck the nightmares triggered by their last case would have passed.<p>

Now they were trying to solve a twenty-year-old cold case that Morgan couldn't see ending well.

So, even after Rossi had left Reid's hotel room, the idea of bringing Reid's father in for questioning discussed and finally settled upon because both Morgan and Rossi could see there was no talking Reid out of it, Morgan hung around. He sat silently as Reid went over the case file again and again. Morgan could only figure that he was trying to trigger more memories as he knew Reid's eidetic memory had already saved the file into the genius's vast expanse of knowledge. Had discretely made himself scarce as Reid talked to Amber on the phone, not wanting to intrude on the couples conversation. Despite the late hour when Reid ended the phone call, the young genius went right back to pouring over the file. Even when Reid began to doze off, Morgan continued to linger silently knowing that he would rest better knowing that Reid had at least been asleep when he left.

When Reid inevitably fell asleep sitting up with his head pillowed one arm, Morgan finally got to his feet. Carefully, Morgan picked up his skinny co-worker and carried him over to the bed. Removing his shoes and tie, Morgan covered the still sleeping genius with a blanket.

After keeping a silent vigil for about ten minutes or so, Morgan was convinced that Reid would stay asleep fo a little while, if not the whole night. Leaving one of the lamps by the bed on, Morgan shut off the other lights and slipped from the hotel room, making sure that the door had locked behind him.

As tired as he was, Morgan didn't head for his own room, instead he crossed across the room to Rossi's room.

"What happened, he finally kick you out?" Rossi asked upon opening his door in answer to Morgan's knock.

"No, he finally went to sleep. I figured trying to explain to him why I was still there when he woke up would have been awkward."

"Not to mention the thought of you watching him sleep is just a little creepy," Rossi added with a bit of sarcastic humor.

"Rossi, are we doing him any good by letting him continue this crazy quest of his? The only possible outcome I can see is him getting hurt."

Rossi sighed, as he smoothed his hand over his whiskered chin. "I know, but I don't see anyway to stop him. From what I've seen, he'll continue this hunt as far as he can with or without us. We all know it will go faster if we give him help, not to mention we can keep him from getting physically hurt. Emotionally, all we can do is support him no matter what the outcome."

"I still don't like it," Morgan said, running a hand over his head.

"I'm with you there but perhaps Garcia's search will turn up some leads on this Michaels character which may shed some light on whatever is being covered up here."

"You believe there is a cover up then?"

"There is no doubt in my mind. The question is, who is covering up what and for who?"

Morgan nodded thoughtfully, considering the older man's words. He had to concede that Rossi had a point.

"Well, I think I'm going to turn in. You know Reid is going to be off an running as soon as he can in the morning."

Rossi nodded in agreement. "Night, Morgan."

"Night, Rossi," Morgan said, turning from the door and heading the short distance to his own room. He fervently hoped that tomorrow would not only provide answers to their questions but might see an end to this case.


	25. The Signs That Point To Forever

AN: So, here it is, the last chapter to this adventure. Thank-you all for you patience with the slow updates! I appreciate each and every review I've recieved!

* * *

><p>The morning sun was rising in front of them as the jet carrying the three FBI profilers took to the skies. Though he had decided to wait for morning to head home, Rossi had chosen to leave at first light knowing they were all anxious to get back home, both for the normal reasons and because of the new arrival. JJ had finally given birth a couple of hours ago, and though the call came before his alarm went off he didn't mind receiving that news. He couldn't wait to get home to see the new baby and his new mama.<p>

Looking around the cabin as the jet leveled off, David Rossi looked to see how his co-workers planned on passing the upcoming flight. Morgan apparently planned on catching up on sleep missed during the back to back cases, as the dark-skinned profiler was already stretched out on the bench seat with his eyes closed. The headphones covering his ears told Rossi that Morgan's tunes were the only thing he planned on hearing during the flight to the east coast. Letting his eyes drift from the apparently already sleeping agent, Rossi's gaze found the third member of their small group.

Reid had slid into one of the four seats surrounding the big table. His gaze was focused out the window, though Rossi found himself wondering if he was really seeing the view below them. He hadn't gotten a chance to talk to the younger man last night, given the time when everything had wrapped up and the fact that Reid had gotten back to the hotel later than Morgan and he had. It was as it should have been though, as the Reid family needed time to themselves following the information that this case had revealed. Spencer had probably gotten more answers than he had counted on but what remained to be seen is if those answers had made things worse or had helped.

For now, Rossi was willing to give Reid a little more time to process his thoughts. Leaning back against the comfortable chair, he withdrew the book he was currently from his go bag. He planned on using these next few hours on the plane to relax a bit as he knew there was paperwork awaiting him back in Quantico.

After reading several chapters, David Rossi placed his bookmark back in between the pages of the volume. Glancing up as he placed the book on the table, Rossi saw that Reid was still staring out the window. Deciding it was time to see if he could engage the younger man in a conversation, the veteran profiler got to his feet and headed toward the big table. Reid didn't even look his way as Rossi settled in the seat across from him.

"Must be a fascinating view to keep your attention for so long," Rossi commented, trying to break the ice.

"What?" Reid asked, looking from the window and across the table at Rossi. It was clear that the young genius hadn't heard the comment though the voice of his older colleague had caught his attention.

"It's not really important," Rossi replied, with a gentle smile. He had Spencer's attention and that was what he had been hoping to accomplish. "What is important, is how you're doing?"

Reid shrugged his shoulders and looked down at the table that separated the two of them, clearly trying to evade the question.

Not one to be put off so easily, Rossi chose to simply rephrase the question. "You came back to the hotel room late. Did you have a good visit with your parents?"

"I had an informative visit with my parents," Reid corrected, memories of the conversation he'd had with them following the case resurfacing as he reached up and started fiddling with the tie that he was wearing. "We discussed a lot of things and made some apologies. Not sure it brought us any closer but at least we cleared the air," the young genius admitted, even as he realized he was starting to count the stripes that were on his tie. As he was wearing it, and part of it was hidden, it didn't take him long to realize the futility of that task as there was no way of getting an accurate count without taking the article of clothing off. Letting the silk fall from his fingertips, Reid slowly looked up at his colleague. "How could I have been so off in my memories? I mean I have an eidetic memory. I should be able to trust the things I remember shouldn't I?"

"That's the funny thing about childhood, we tend to remember it the way we want to not necessarily the way it was," Rossi replied. "You were young when everything happened and you didn't have all the pieces of the puzzle. It's not surprising that your mind pieced what you did have, together wrong."

"Perhaps it would've been better to have listened to you and Morgan at the beginning and just let everything go. Turns out Riley's killer couldn't hurt anyone else and all I did was manage to disrupt other people's lives."

"But the truth wouldn't have been revealed. No mater what Gary Michaels did, he didn't deserve to die like he did and be buried in the desert. No matter what Lou Jenkins original intent was when he went to Michaels' house, the fact is he killed a man and covered it up. It isn't our place to decide whether that was right or wrong, but we do have the responsibility to get the truth out. That's what we did. Now it's up for the courts to decide on the punishment of all those involved."

Spencer Reid nodded, and sat back in his chair. He knew the logic and the truth to those words but that logic didn't extend to how he felt about everything. It wasn't so easy to look at things logically when the people involved included his own parents. The only thing he knew for sure was that his mother wouldn't be put through a trail. Her disease, and the fact that she had been suffering from it even then, would guarantee that. How the courts viewed his father's part in the events surrounding the murder of Gary Michaels was going to be a wait and see situation.

At least his father didn't blame him. In fact, Will Reid's last words to his son were that he was proud of his son for doing the job he had chosen to do, well despite difficult circumstances. The attorney accepted the responsibility for his actions and admitted he would do the same thing, misguided as it was, again to protect the woman he had loved. Will Reid didn't regret trying to cover up the murder of Gary Michaels to protect Diana.

"My Dad claims the only regret he has is walking out on my mom and me," Spencer said after a few moments of silence.

"Do you believe him?" Rossi asked, not sure how the conversation had made that jump and not really caring. The whole point of this talk was to let Spencer discuss his feelings instead of keeping them all jumbled up inside. Wherever the comment had come from, this was apparently what Spencer needed to discuss.

Spencer shrugged. "Does that really matter? The fact is that he did walk out on us. Nothing can change that, not even opening lines of communication with him now. Honestly, I don't think I want him back in my life. I made it this far without him. He chose to walk out of my life and as hard as it was, I made it without him. What do I owe him?"

"Absolutely nothing," Rossi replied without hesitation. Try as he may, he couldn't understand how William Reid could walk out on a child's life like that. He and Margaret might not have gotten along, but he could have never just broke off all communication with her knowing that Amber was involved. He loved his daughter. He might not have been able to be there for her as often as he should've been but he had tried his best and he'd like to believe that when it really counted he had been there for her. Will had missed twenty years of his son's life. Essentially, they were like strangers with no basis for a relationship. But he was still family.

"But there isn't just you to think about any longer," Rossi told him.

Spencer shot the older man a quizzical look, clearly not following him.

"You've got your unborn child to think about now. Perhaps you'll never have a close relationship with your father, and that's okay, but that child deserves to know who her grandfather is if at all possible. It's part of their family history."

"You're right, though what if he hurts them like he did me? What if he meets him or her and then wants nothing to do with them?"

"Then you give your child a hug, tell them how special they are, and move on with your lives. The bottom line is, you would have given him a chance. That's all that anyone can expect from you."

Spencer Reid nodded and then glanced back out the window. He couldn't see himself visiting his father like he did his mother, but perhaps a phone call now and then as he had requested wouldn't hurt anything.

"I'll do my part to keep in touch with him for that reason only. I've gotten by this long without him playing the role of father in my life, and I don't need him in that capacity now."

Rossi nodded. He had seen the hurt and anger Spencer felt toward his father when they had first gone to meet with William Reid. They were emotions that didn't fade away easily and Reid had a point. Spencer had figured out how to go on with his life without William Reid, and there was no reason he needed to change that.

"But . . . "

Spencer spoke the one word and then let it fade away, unsure of if he should actually speak the thought he was having out loud.

"Go on," Rossi encouraged, curious as to what Spencer was so hesitant to say.

"Well, it's just that, I haven't had a father in my life since I was eight but I have had father figures. Gideon and Hotch have both filled that role since I joined the bureau. And I know we had a rocky start, but, well, I do think of you in that capacity now too."

Rossi felt honored at the younger man's words. He and Spencer had been forming a closer relationship but he had still felt hesitancy from the younger man on that front. As he waited for Spencer to continue, he let himself hope that perhaps that was about to change.

"And well, I know it isn't official yet or anything but would you mind if I started calling you Dad?" Spencer asked, forcing himself not to duck his head away like he wanted to. "At least outside of work," he added quickly.

"I would be honored, son," Rossi said, smiling. He loved his daughter with all of his heart but gaining a son made him feel like his family was complete somehow. More than anything he wanted Spencer and Amber to have the happy marriage that he had never quite managed.

* * *

><p>The house was quiet when Spencer Reid walked through the front door. While Morgan and Rossi had headed right for the hospital, Spencer had decided to stop by home first. Having been at the hospital with JJ all night, Amber had finally been persuaded to go home and get some rest. Before seeing JJ and her newborn son, Spencer wanted to check in on his fiance.<p>

Closing the door softly behind him, Spencer made his way up the stairs. He didn't call out, not wanting to wake Amber if she was sleeping. Walking into the bedroom a few moments later, he found Amber curled up on the bed, eyes closed.

Quietly, he placed his luggage down on the floor near the closet and watched his fiance sleep for a while. Not having an idyllic childhood, Spencer wondered how he would be able to provide that for his own child. More than anything he wanted his child to grow up in a home with two parents and surrounded by love. It was something that neither he nor Amber had experienced but perhaps together they could figure out how to give their child what they hadn't had.

Spencer was about to quietly leave the room and head to the hospital when Amber stirred.

"Spencer is that you?" Amber asked sleepily from the bed, opening her eyes despite not moving from her curled up position.

"Yeah. I didn't mean to wake you. I just got in."

"Have you seen JJ and Henry yet?"

"No. I wanted to check on you first," Spencer told her, walking over to the bed and perching on the edge.

"He's a beautiful baby. I hope our baby is just as healthy and beautiful as JJ and Will's child is."

"They will be. They've got such a beautiful mother, after all."

"You're not to shabby yourself, Dr. Reid," Amber joked softly, a smile coming to her face. It faded a moment later as she recalled the case her fiance was coming home from. "How are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm okay," Spencer replied without hesitation. "I spoke with your father on the trip home. He helped me put things in perspective."

"Yeah, he does have a knack for being able to do that."

"You and I will talk tonight," Spencer assured her. "Right now, get some sleep. You and the baby need it," he told her, leaning over and kissing Amber's forehead. "I'm going to go visit JJ and come home and make dinner for us."

"I like that plan," Amber said, snuggling into her pillow a little more as she closed her eyes. "I love you, Stecchino," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Heliades," Spencer told her, giving her forehead another kiss before standing up and leaving the room.

* * *

><p>"What is it?"* Spencer asked, unable to imagine what it was that JJ could possibly want to ask him.<p>

"Will and I were talking and we want you to be Henry's godfather,"* JJ said, looking up at Spencer with a hopeful smile on her face.

Godfather? Spencer hadn't been expecting that. He wasn't even sure he was ready to be a father yet, and here JJ was asking him to accept this responsibility. Surely there were other people in her life that could do a better job than him. Hotch for example. Hotch was doing a wonderful job with Jack.

"I don't even know . . . I don't know . . . " *he stammered.

"Do you want to hold him?"* JJ asked, surprising her already flustered friend again.

"Um," * Spencer stammered, having never held a child before.

But JJ was already holding Henry out to him. "It's okay. Here you go,"* she said, clearly not planning on taking no for an answer.

Spencer took the child from her, staring down at the tiny life that he held in his hand. Just holding the child seemed like a huge responsibility.

"Hi. Hello Henry," * Spencer said, not sure what possessed him to talk to the child but knowing that it felt natural.

"If anything should happen to us, it's up to you and Garcia to make sure this boy gets into Yale,"* JJ said, making it clear that as far as she was concerned Spencer had already accepted the title of godfather.

Looking down at the tiny face of Henry, Spencer knew he couldn't have said no to the request. Though he hoped it was a role that he never had to fulfill, if it came to that he knew he would do his best to make sure Henry had somebody in his life that loved him and would know that his parents had loved him too.

"Oooo, Yale. Yale. You want to go to Yale, Henry? That was your godfather's safety school," Spencer told the infant, speaking out loud the silent commitment that had already been expressed between the two friends. "Don't worry, I can get you into Cal Tech with one phone call,"* he added.

Spencer Reid couldn't help but smile. Despite the awesome responsibility that had just been bestowed upon him, he had fallen in love with this boy the moment that JJ had placed him in his arms. He was going to be special and as JJ and Will were a part of his life, he knew that he would be watching his godson grow up over the years.

Spencer also realized that in a matter of months he would be holding another newborn in his arms. He didn't know who they were at this point. Didn't even know if it would be a boy or a girl but one thing he did know was that he was already in love with that child. For the first time since Amber had told him the news, he felt a connection to his unborn child.

Was he ready for fatherhood? Spencer still couldn't answer that question but as both Hotch, Will and Dave had assured him that it was something that all new fathers went through, he figured the answer to that question didn't matter. He and Amber would learn how to be parents together. They would try not to repeat the mistakes their own parents had made and learn from the mistakes that they were sure to make.

Holding Henry in his arms, the one thing Spencer did know for sure was that he wanted this child. He and Amber loved one another and their child would be a testament to that love just as Henry was a testament to the love that JJ and Will shared. Whether he was ready for childhood or not, it was coming and he owed it to his child to do the best job he could. One thing he knew for sure, he would not voluntarily walk away from his kid like his own father had done to him and maybe knowing that was enough for now.

"Are you okay, Spence?" JJ asked softly.

Reid looked away from Henry and down at JJ. "Yeah, I'm fine. Everything is going to be okay," he told her, knowing that she didn't have access to his thoughts. The smile that JJ gave him though told him that she understood.

For him and Amber, the impending birth of their child and the upcoming wedding were signs of the life they were going to share together.

_*Dialogue from the episode "Mermoriam"_


End file.
